Deciphering the properties of hot and dense matter with hadron-hadron correlations

Abstract

Two classes of jet correlations in hot and dense matter are explored. Correlations between very high transverse momentum hadrons within a jet sample the gluon density of the medium, where, the minimal modification on the same side as the trigger is consistent with the picture and parameters of partonic energy loss. Lower momentum partons, sampled through softer correlations, due to their larger wavelengths are sensitive to the presence of composite structures in the medium. Scattering off such states may modify the dispersion relation of the radiated gluons resulting in conical patterns in the detected correlations.