Centrality dependence of longitudinal and transverse baryon distributions in ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions.

Abstract

Inclusive double differential multiplicities [ital d][sup 2][ital N]/[ital dy] d[ital p][sub [ital t]] and related quantities have been measured for protons and deuterons produced in 14.6[ital A] GeV/[ital c] Si+Al and Si+Pb collisions using the E814 forward spectrometer at the AGS at BNL. Collision centrality'' is determined by measuring [ital N][sub [ital c]], the total charged particle multiplicity in the pseudorapidity range 0.85[lt][eta][lt]3.8. For both systems Si + Al and Si + Pb, an increase in the proton rapidity distribution [ital dN]/[ital dy] at midrapidity and a corresponding decrease at higher rapidities are observed with increasing [ital N][sub [ital c]]. For Si+Pb, Boltzmann slope parameters [ital T][sub [ital B]] increase significantly in the most central collisions. The measured distributions exhibit a centrality dependence even when [sigma]/[sigma][sub geo][approx lt]10%, where full overlap between the Si and Pb nuclei occurs in a simple geometric picture. The proton rapidity distribution [ital dN]/[ital dy] is presented for the symmetric system Si+Al over the entire rapididty interval. The total number of protons, which is the integral of this quantity over rapidity, varies with [ital N][sub [ital c]]. Results are compared with various model calculations, mostly using the hadronic cascade codes ARC and RQMD. No significantmore » nuclear transparency is observed, indicating that large baryon and energy densities are produced in these collisions.« less