https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-016-4130-9
Regular Article - Theoretical Physics
Origins of the di-jet asymmetry in heavy-ion collisions
1
CENTRA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal
2
Physics Department, Theory Unit, CERN, 1211, Geneva 23, Switzerland
* e-mail: guilherme.milhano@tecnico.ulisboa.pt
Received:
18
January
2016
Accepted:
7
May
2016
Published online:
21
May
2016
The di-jet asymmetry—the measure of the momentum imbalance in a di-jet system—is a key jet quenching observable. Using the event generator Jewel we show that the di-jet asymmetry is dominated by fluctuations both in proton–proton and in heavy-ion collisions. We discuss how in proton–proton collisions the asymmetry is generated through recoil and out-of-cone radiation. In heavy-ion collisions two additional sources can contribute to the asymmetry, namely energy loss fluctuations and differences in path length. The latter is shown to be a sub-leading effect. We discuss the implications of our results for the interpretation of this observable.
© The Author(s), 2016
