  Measurements of two-particle correlations on transverse momentum $p_t$ for
Au-Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 130$ GeV are presented. Significant
large-momentum-scale correlations are observed for charged primary hadrons with
$0.15 \leq p_t \leq 2$ GeV/$c$ and pseudorapidity $|\eta| \leq 1.3$. Such
correlations were not observed in a similar study at lower energy and are not
predicted by theoretical collision models. Their direct relation to mean-$p_t$
fluctuations measured in the same angular acceptance is demonstrated. Positive
correlations are observed for pairs of particles which have large $p_t$ values
while negative correlations occur for pairs in which one particle has large
$p_t$ and the other has much lower $p_t$. The correlation amplitudes per final
state particle increase with collision centrality. The observed correlations
are consistent with a scenario in which the transverse momentum of hadrons
associated with initial-stage semi-hard parton scattering is dissipated by the
medium to lower $p_t$.
