Rapidity Dependence of Charged Particle Yields for Au+Au at sqrt(sNN) = 200 GeV

Abstract

Yields of charged particles (pi+, pi-, K+, K-, p and p-bar) have been derived from spectra measured with BRAHMS for the reaction Au+Au at sqrt(sNN) = 200 GeV, as a function of rapidity in the range y = 0 to y ~ 3 for the 10% most central events. The yields peak at mid-rapidity with a small decrease in the range |y| < 1 but they drop significantly at higher rapidities except for the protons. At y = 0, the K-/pi- ratio is 0.18 +/- 0.02 (syst), very close to the K+/pi+ ratio equal to 0.19 +/- 0.02 (syst). But at y = 3, K-/pi- drops to 0.12 +/- 0.02 (syst) while K+/pi+ remains constant.