Nuclear stopping and rapidity loss in Au+Au collisions at √(sNN)=62.4 GeV

Transverse momentum spectra of protons and anti-protons measured in the rapidity range 0<y<3.1 from 0-10% central Au + Au collisions at √(sNN)=62.4 GeV are presented. The rapidity densities, dN/dy, of protons, anti-protons and net-protons (Np-Np-bar) have been deduced from the spectra over a rapidity range wide enough to observe the expected maximum net-baryon density. From mid-rapidity to y=1 the net-proton yield is roughly constant (dN/dy∼10), but rises to dN/dy∼25 at 2.3<y<3.1. The mean rapidity loss is 2.01±0.14±0.12 units from beam rapidity. The measured rapidity distributions are compared to model predictions. Systematics of net-baryon distributions and rapidity loss vs. collision energy are discussed.