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Ultra-peripheral collisions of relativistic heavy ions

S. Klein

nucl-exarXiv:nucl-ex/0108018

Abstract

We report the first observation of exclusive ρ production in ultra-peripheral collisions at RHIC. The ρ are produced electromagnetically at large impact parameters where no hadronic interactions occur. The produced ρ have a small perpendicular momentum, consistent with production that is coherent on both the photon emitting and scattering nuclei. We observe both exclusive ρ production, and ρ production accompanied by electromagnetic dissociation of both nuclei. We discuss models of vector meson production and the correlation with nuclear breakup. We also observe e+e- pair production in these ultra-peripheral collisions.

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