New method for the experimental study of topological effects in the quark-gluon plasma

A new method is presented for the quantitative measurement of charge separation about the reaction plane. A correlation function is obtained whose shape is concave when there is a net separation of positive and negative charges. Correlations not specifically associated with charge, from flow, jets, and momentum conservation, do not influence the shape or magnitude of the correlation function. Detailed simulations are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method for the quantitative measurement of charge separation. Such measurements are a prerequisite to the investigation of topological charge effects in the quark-gluon plasma as derived from the "strong CP problem.".