Inclusive cross section and double helicity asymmetry for π0 production in p+p collisions at s=62.4GeV

Abstract

The PHENIX experiment presents results from the RHIC 2006 run with polarized p+p collisions at s=62.4GeV, for inclusive π0 production at midrapidity. Unpolarized cross section results are measured for transverse momenta pT=0.5 to 7GeV/c. Next-to-leading order perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations are compared with the data, and while the calculations are consistent with the measurements, next-to-leading logarithmic corrections improve the agreement. Double helicity asymmetries ALL are presented for pT=1 to 4GeV/c and probe the higher range of Bjorken x of the gluon (xg) with better statistical precision than our previous measurements at s=200GeV. These measurements are sensitive to the gluon polarization in the proton for 0.06<xg<0.4. © 2009 The American Physical Society.