Single Muon Production and Implications for Charm in sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV Au+Au Collisions

This dissertation presents the first analysis of single muon production in √sNN= 200 GeV Au+Au reactions. Implications of the forward rapidity measurements for charm production are discussed. Motivation for charm production measurements and the role of open charm in characterizing the medium created in relativistic heavy ion collisions are presented, and the importance of measurements at forward rapidity is established. The results of this study are compared to relevant calculations and related measurements at RHIC.