Particle-type dependence of azimuthal anisotropy and nuclear modification of particle production in Au+Au collisions at s(NN)**(1/2) = 200-GeV

Abstract

We present STAR measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy parameter $v_2$ and the binary-collision scaled centrality ratio $R_{CP}$ for kaons and lambdas ($\hat{I}›+\bar{\hat{I}}›$) at mid-rapidity in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{{}_{NN}}}=200$ GeV. In combination, the $v_2$ and $R_{CP}$ particle-type dependencies contradict expectations from partonic energy loss followed by standard fragmentation in vacuum. We establish $p_T\approx 5$ GeV/c as the value where the centrality dependent baryon enhancement ends. The $K_S^0$ and $\hat{I}›+\bar{\hat{I}}›$ $v_2$ values are consistent with expectations of constituent-quark-number scaling from models of hadron fromation by parton coalescence or recombination.

6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. As published in PRL on Feb. 2, 2004; Significant revisions have been made to the text and color has been added to plots