Energy dependence of K pi, p pi, and Kp fluctuations in Au plus Au collisions from root s(NN)=7.7 to 200 GeV

Abstract

A search for the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) critical point was performed by the STAR experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, using dynamical fluctuations of unlike particle pairs. Heavy ion collisions were studied over a large range of collision energies with homogeneous acceptance and excellent particle identification, covering a significant range in the QCD phase diagram where a critical point may be located. Dynamical K pi, p pi, and Kp fluctuations as measured by the STAR experiment in central 0-5% Au + Au collisions from center-of-mass collision energies root s(NN) = 7.7 to 200 GeV are presented. The observable nu(dyn) was used to quantify the magnitude of the dynamical fluctuations in event-by-event measurements of the Kp, pp, and Kp pairs. The energy dependences of these fluctuations from central 0-5% Au + Au collisions all demonstrate a smooth evolution with collision energy.