The mid-rapidity calorimeter for the relativistic heavy-ion experiment WA80 at CERN

Abstract A sampling calorimeter designed for use at mid-rapidity in the relativistic heavy-ion experiment WA80 at CERN is described. Calibration and performance results are presented. Over the energy range of 2 to 50 GeV, the response of the mid-rapidity calorimeter was linear, and its energy resolution σ E was found to be given by 0.014 + 0.11 √E and 0.034+0.34 √E for electromagnetic and hadronic showers, respectively. Signal ratios of 1.2 and 1.4 were obtained for the e h ratio of the lead-scintillator electromagnetic section and the iron-scintillator hadronic section, respectively. The calorimeter provided an accurate transverse energy trigger. The response and resolution for high-energy heavy ions were slightly better than anticipated on the basis of the low-energy calibrations.