Prompt photons at RHIC

Abstract

We calculate the inclusive cross section for prompt photon production in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC energies ($\sqrt{s}=130$ GeV and $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV) in the central rapidity region including next-to-leading order, $O(\alpha_{em}\alpha_s^2)$, radiative corrections, initial state nuclear shadowing and parton energy loss effects. We show that there is a significant suppression of the nuclear cross section, up to $\sim 30%$ at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV, due to shadowing and medium induced parton energy loss effects. We find that the next-to-leading order contributions are large and have a strong $p_t$ dependence.