We present measurements of Underlying Event observables in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 0.9 and 7 TeV. The analysis is performed as a function of the highest charged-particle transverse momentum $p_{\rm T, LT}$ in the event. Different regions are defined with respect to the azimuthal direction of the leading (highest transverse momentum) track: Toward, Transverse and Away. The Toward and Away regions collect the fragmentation products of the hardest partonic interaction. The Transverse region is expected to be most sensitive to the Underlying Event activity. The study is performed with charged particles above three different $p_{\rm T}$ thresholds: 0.15, 0.5 and 1.0 GeV/$c$. In the Transverse region we observe an increase in the multiplicity of a factor 2-3 between the lower and higher collision energies, depending on the track $p){\rm T}$ threshold considered. Data are compared to Pythia 6.4, Pythia 8.1 and Phojet. On average, all models considered underestimate the multiplicity and summed $p_{\rm T}$ in the Transverse region by about 10-30%.
Number density as a function of the leading charged-particle PT at a centre-mass-energy of 900 GeV for events having charged-particle PT > 0.15 GeV. The data is shown for the three azimuthal regions.
Number density as a function of the leading charged-particle PT at a centre-mass-energy of 7000 GeV for events having charged-particle PT > 0.15 GeV. The data is shown for the three azimuthal regions.
Number density as a function of the leading charged-particle PT at a centre-mass-energy of 900 GeV for events having charged-particle PT > 0.5 GeV. The data is shown for the three azimuthal regions.
The transverse momentum ($p_{\mathrm T}$) distribution of primary charged particles is measured in minimum bias (non-single-diffractive) p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The $p_{\mathrm T}$ spectra measured near central rapidity in the range $0.5
Normalized differential primary charged particle yield.
pp INEL cross section scaled by nuclear overlap.
Nuclear Modification Factor R_pPb in the central region.
The effect of event background fluctuations on charged particle jet reconstruction in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV has been measured with the ALICE experiment. The main sources of non-statistical fluctuations are characterized based purely on experimental data with an unbiased method, as well as by using single high $p_{\rm T}$ particles and simulated jets embedded into real Pb-Pb events and reconstructed with the anti-$k_{\rm T}$ jet finder. The influence of a low transverse momentum cut-off on particles used in the jet reconstruction is quantified by varying the minimum track $p_{\rm T}$ between 0.15 GeV/$c$ and 2 GeV/$c$. For embedded jets reconstructed from charged particles with $p_{\rm T} > 0.15$ GeV/$c$, the uncertainty in the reconstructed jet transverse momentum due to the heavy-ion background is measured to be 11.3 GeV/$c$ (standard deviation) for the 10% most central Pb-Pb collisions, slightly larger than the value of 11.0 GeV/$c$ measured using the unbiased method. For a higher particle transverse momentum threshold of 2 GeV/$c$, which will generate a stronger bias towards hard fragmentation in the jet finding process, the standard deviation of the fluctuations in the reconstructed jet transverse momentum is reduced to 4.8-5.0 GeV/$c$ for the 10% most central events. A non-Gaussian tail of the momentum uncertainty is observed and its impact on the reconstructed jet spectrum is evaluated for varying particle momentum thresholds, by folding the measured fluctuations with steeply falling spectra.
DeltaPT of random cones in the 10% most central events for three types of random cone probes with a minimum track PT of 0.15 GeV. (1) sampling all the events, (2) avoiding overlap with the leading jet candidate in the event and (3) after randomizing the (ETA,PHI) direction of the tracks hence destroying any correlations.
DeltaPT of random cones in the 10% most central events for three regions with a minimum track PT of 0.15 GeV. (1) the in-plane orientation where the angle between the reconstructed event plane and the random cone axis is < 30 degrees, (2) the out-of plane orientation where this angle is > 60 degrees and (3) the intermediate region where this angle is between 30 and 60 degrees.
Dependence of the standard deviation on the uncorrected charged particle multiplicity. As in figure 2 the data are given for three different random cone probes: (1) sampling all the events, (2) avoiding overlap with the leading jet candidate in the event and (3) after randomizing the (ETA,PHI) direction of the tracks hence destroying any correlations.
Measurements of the sphericity of primary charged particles in minimum bias proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=0.9$, 2.76 and 7 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC are presented. The observable is linearized to be collinear safe and is measured in the plane perpendicular to the beam direction using primary charged tracks with $p_{\rm T}\geq0.5$ GeV/c in $|\eta|\leq0.8$. The mean sphericity as a function of the charged particle multiplicity at mid-rapidity ($N_{\rm ch}$) is reported for events with different $p_{\rm T}$ scales ("soft" and "hard") defined by the transverse momentum of the leading particle. In addition, the mean charged particle transverse momentum versus multiplicity is presented for the different event classes, and the sphericity distributions in bins of multiplicity are presented. The data are compared with calculations of standard Monte Carlo event generators. The transverse sphericity is found to grow with multiplicity at all collision energies, with a steeper rise at low $N_{\rm ch}$, whereas the event generators show the opposite tendency. The combined study of the sphericity and the mean $p_{\rm T}$ with multiplicity indicates that most of the tested event generators produce events with higher multiplicity by generating more back-to-back jets resulting in decreased sphericity (and isotropy). The PYTHIA6 generator with tune PERUGIA-2011 exhibits a noticeable improvement in describing the data, compared to the other tested generators.
pp @ 900 GeV, Mean Transverse Sphericity (y) vs Multiplicity.
pp @ 7000 GeV, Mean Transverse Sphericity (y) vs Multiplicity.
pp @ 2760 GeV, Mean Transverse Sphericity (y) vs Multiplicity.
This publication describes the methods used to measure the centrality of inelastic Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 2.76 TeV per colliding nucleon pair with ALICE. The centrality is a key parameter in the study of the properties of QCD matter at extreme temperature and energy density, because it is directly related to the initial overlap region of the colliding nuclei. Geometrical properties of the collision, such as the number of participating nucleons and number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions, are deduced from a Glauber model with a sharp impact parameter selection, and shown to be consistent with those extracted from the data. The centrality determination provides a tool to compare ALICE measurements with those of other experiments and with theoretical calculations.
$N_\mathrm{part}$ for Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV with the corresponding uncertainties derived from a Glauber calculation. The ${\langle N_\mathrm{part}^{\rm data} \rangle}$ are calculated from the NBD-Glauber fit to the VZERO amplitude, while the ${\langle N_\mathrm{part}^{\rm geo} \rangle}$ are obtained by slicing the impact parameter distribution. ${\langle N_\mathrm{part}^{\rm data} \rangle}$ is also calculated for two variations of the AP, i.e. moving it to 91 % (${\langle N_\mathrm{part}^{\rm data +} \rangle}$) and to 89 % (${\langle N_\mathrm{part}^{\rm data +} \rangle}$) respectively. The last three columns report the discrepancies between ${\langle N_\mathrm{part}^{\rm geo} \rangle}$ and ${\langle N_\mathrm{part}^{\rm data} \rangle}$ and ${\langle N_\mathrm{part}^{\rm data} \rangle}$ with the uncertainty of the AP.
Same as Table A.1 for $N_\mathrm{coll}$.
Same as Table A.1 for $T_\mathrm{AA}$.
We report on the first measurement of inclusive J/$\psi$ elliptic flow, $v_2$, in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV in the rapidity range $2.5 < y < 4.0$. The dependence of the J/$\psi$ $v_2$ on the collision centrality and on the J/$\psi$ transverse momentum is studied in the range $0 < p_{\rm T} < 10$ GeV/$c$. For semi-central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV, an indication of non-zero $v_2$ is observed with a maximum value of $v_2 = 0.116 \pm 0.046 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 0.029 {\rm (syst.)}$ for J/$\psi$ in the transverse momentum range $2 < p_{\rm T} < 4$ GeV/$c$. The elliptic flow measurement complements the previously reported ALICE results on the inclusive J/$\psi$ nuclear modification factor and favors the scenario of a significant fraction of J/$\psi$ production from charm quarks in a deconfined partonic phase.
Measurements of V2 for inclusive J/PSI production for semi-central (20%-40%) collisions as a function of transverse momentum.
Measurements of V2 for inclusive J/PSI production in the transverse momentum range 1.5-10 GeV/c as a function of the number of participating nucleons.
Measurements of the uncorrected mean transverse momentum for inclusive J/PSI production in the transverse momentum range 1.5-10 GeV/c as a function of the number of participating nucleons.
The inclusive transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) distributions of primary charged particles are measured in the pseudo-rapidity range $|\eta|<0.8$ as a function of event centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}=2.76$ TeV with ALICE at the LHC. The data are presented in the $p_{\rm T}$ range $0.15
Nuclear Modification Factor RAA in the centrality interval 0-5%.
Nuclear Modification Factor RAA in the centrality interval 5-10%.
Nuclear Modification Factor RAA in the centrality interval 10-20%.
The production of muons from heavy flavour decays is measured at forward rapidity in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV collected with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The analysis is carried out on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity $L_{\rm int} = 16.5$ nb$^{-1}$. The transverse momentum and rapidity differential production cross sections of muons from heavy flavour decays are measured in the rapidity range 2.5 < y < 4, over the transverse momentum range 2 < $p_{\rm T}$ < 12 GeV/$c$. The results are compared to predictions based on perturbative QCD calculations.
pT-differential production cross section of muons from heavy flavour decays, in the rapidity range 2.5<y<4.
y-differential production cross section of muons from heavy flavour decays, in the range 2<pT<12 GeV/C.
pT-differential production cross section of muons from heavy flavour decays, in the rapidity range 2.5<y<2.8.
Angular correlations between charged trigger and associated particles are measured by the ALICE detector in p-Pb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV for transverse momentum ranges within 0.5 < $p_{\rm T}^{\rm assoc}$ < $p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig}$ < 4 GeV/$c$. The correlations are measured over two units of pseudorapidity and full azimuthal angle in different intervals of event multiplicity, and expressed as associated yield per trigger particle. Two long-range ridge-like structures, one on the near side and one on the away side, are observed when the per-trigger yield obtained in low-multiplicity events is subtracted from the one in high-multiplicity events. The excess on the near-side is qualitatively similar to that recently reported by the CMS collaboration, while the excess on the away-side is reported for the first time. The two-ridge structure projected onto azimuthal angle is quantified with the second and third Fourier coefficients as well as by near-side and away-side yields and widths. The yields on the near side and on the away side are equal within the uncertainties for all studied event multiplicity and $p_{\rm T}$ bins, and the widths show no significant evolution with event multiplicity or $p_{\rm T}$. These findings suggest that the near-side ridge is accompanied by an essentially identical away-side ridge.
The Fourier coefficient V2 for different multiplicity classes and overlapping PT_trig and PT_assoc intervals. Note that all multiplicity classes have the values from the 60-100% multiplicity class subtracted.
The Fourier coefficient V3 for different multiplicity classes and overlapping PT_trig and PT_assoc intervals. Note that all multiplicity classes have the values from the 60-100% multiplicity class subtracted.
The near-side ridge yields per unit pseudorapidiy difference between the trigger and associated particle in regions of differing PT_trig and PT_assoc bins for different multiplicity classes. Note that all multiplicity classes have the values from the 60-100% multiplicity class subtracted.
The ALICE experiment has measured the inclusive J/$\psi$ production in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}} } = 2.76$ TeV down to zero transverse momentum in the rapidity range $2.5 < y < 4$. A suppression of the inclusive J/$\psi$ yield in Pb-Pb is observed with respect to the one measured in pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The nuclear modification factor, integrated over the 0-80% most central collisions, is $0.545 \pm 0.032 \rm{(stat.)} \pm 0.083 \rm{(syst.)}$ and does not exhibit a significant dependence on the collision centrality. These features appear significantly different from measurements at lower collision energies. Models including J/$\psi$ production from charm quarks in a deconfined partonic phase can describe our data.
Jpsi Nuclear Modification Factor (Raa) measured in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 2.76 TeV in 2.5 < y < 4 and pt > 0 GeV/c, as a function of - the average number of participating nucleons (<Npart>), - the average number of participating nucleons (<Npart,w>) weigthed by the average number of binary collisions, - the mid-rapidity charged-particle density measured at pseudo-rapidity eta = 0 dNch,w/deta|eta=0 weigthed by the average number of binary collisions.
Centrality integrated (0%-80%) inclusive Jpsi Nuclear Modification Factor (Raa) measured in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 2.76 TeV as a function of rapidity for two transverse momentum ranges.