Centrality and √SNN dependence of the dET/dη and dNch/dη in heavy ion collisions at mid-rapidity

The PHENIX experiment at RHIC has measured transverse energy and charged particle multiplicity at mid-rapidity in Au + Au collisions at √SNN = 19.6, 130, 62.4 and 200 GeV as a function of centrality. The presented results are compared to measurements from other RHIC experiments, and experiments at lower energies. The √SNN dependence of dET/dη and dNch/dη per pair of participants is consistent with logarithmic scaling for the most central events. The centrality dependence of dET/dη and dNch/dη is similar at all measured incident energies. At RHIC energies the ratio of transverse energy per charged particle was found independent of centrality and growing slowly with √SNN. A survey of comparisons between the data and available theoretical models is also presented