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Paper short abstract:

In this case study, we examine collaborative work of a high energy physics experiment and demonstrate the divisional cooperation scheme.

Paper long abstract:

In this case study, we examine collaborative work of a high energy physics experiment "The PHENIX Collaboration" at Brookhaven National laboratory's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Since all authors are treated equally, its papers have 500 authors listed in an alphabetical order. However, they have precise distribution of roles inside the collaboration. Also, they know who and how contributed to a paper. We conducted interviews with current and former scientists in the collaboration and analyzed the author's transition for 140 papers between 2000 and 2014 for the quantitative study. The PHENIX Collaboration has a ten-step process for the creation of scientific papers, including internal review mechanisms. Through the ten-step process, we find the divisional cooperation scheme in the collaboration. Detector constructors mainly focus on the construction or upgrade a sub-system and data collection. Computer specialists support data collection, data calibration, and production job. They contribute to steps prior to data analysis and they are hardly involved in physics data analysis. Almost all detector constructors and computer specialists are senior and have tenure positions in universities or institutions. This case study demonstrates how detector constructors, computer specialists, and data analysts cooperate to produce a paper inside the collaboration.