Photon production in Au+Au collisions at \(\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 130\) GeV

Abstract

We report raw photon, neutral pion and eta measurements at RHIC. Photons in the energy range from 100MeV − 4GeV were detected by reconstructing e + e − pair production, γ+Z→e ++e −+Z, with the STAR Time Projection Chamber (TPC). Along with the photon detection technique we discuss the purity of the photon candidates and measurements of hadronic decays via their electromagnetic decay channels. The π0→γ and η→γγ decay channels are addressed.