Fluctuations in jet momentum as an energy loss probe

Abstract

We investigate the measurement of the distribution of away-side jet $p_T$ as a way to probe the energy loss mechanism in heavy ion collisions, and constrain the properties of the medium created in heavy ion collisions. We define an observable related to the fluctuation of the energy deposited in the medium, and show that competing models of parton energy loss give differing values and scaling of this observable. We also argue that the scaling of this observable with system size can be related to the medium's partonic density. We then give a qualitative discussion of how the measurement we suggest can be performed and used to determine the parton energy loss mechanism and possibly the system's partonic density.