Quantum Chromodynamics predicts a phase transition from ordinary hadronic matter to the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) at high temperatures and energy densities, where quarks and gluons (partons) are not confined within hadrons. The QGP is generated in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. Anisotropic flow coefficients, quantifying the anisotropic azimuthal expansion of the produced matter, provide a unique tool to unravel QGP properties. Flow measurements in high-energy heavy-ion collisions show a distinctive grouping of anisotropic flow for baryons and mesons at intermediate transverse momentum, a feature associated with flow being imparted at the quark level, confirming the existence of the QGP. The observation of QGP-like features in relativistic proton-proton and proton-ion collisions has sparked debate about possible QGP formation in smaller collision systems, which remains unresolved. In this article, we demonstrate for the first time the distinctive grouping of anisotropic flow for baryons and mesons in high-multiplicity proton-lead and proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). These results are described by a model that includes hydrodynamic flow followed by hadron formation via quark coalescence, replicating features observed in heavy-ion collisions. This observation is consistent with the formation of a partonic flowing system in proton-proton and proton-lead collisions at the LHC.
$v_2${2, $1.1<|\Delta\eta|< 7.8$} of $\mathrm{\pi}^{\pm}$ as a function of $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ in high-multiplicity p--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV.
$v_2${2, $1.1<|\Delta\eta|< 7.8$} of $\mathrm{K}^{\pm}$ as a function of $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ in high-multiplicity p--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV.
$v_2${2, $1.1<|\Delta\eta|< 7.8$} of p + $\rm\overline p$ as a function of $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ in high-multiplicity p--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV.
Measurements of the elliptic flow coefficient relative to the collision plane defined by the spectator neutrons $v_2${$\Psi_{\rm SP}$} in collisions of Pb ions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$=2.76 TeV and Xe ions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$=5.44 TeV are reported. The results are presented for charged particles produced at midrapidity as a function of centrality and transverse momentum. The ratio between $v_2${$\Psi_{\rm SP}$} and the elliptic flow coefficient relative to the participant plane $v_2$4, estimated using four-particle correlations, deviates by up to 20% from unity depending on centrality. This observation differs strongly from the magnitude of the corresponding eccentricity ratios predicted by the TRENTo and the elliptic power models of initial state fluctuations that are tuned to describe the participant plane anisotropies. The differences can be interpreted as a decorrelation of the neutron spectator plane and the reaction plane because of fragmentation of the remnants from the colliding nuclei, which points to an incompleteness of current models of initial state fluctuations. A significant transverse momentum dependence of the ratio $v_2${$\Psi_{\rm SP}$}/$v_2${4} is observed in all but the most central collisions, which may help to understand whether momentum anisotropies at low and intermediate transverse momentum have a common origin in initial state fluctuations. The ratios of $v_2${$\Psi_{\rm SP}$} and $v_2${4} to the corresponding initial state eccentricities for Xe-Xe and Pb-Pb collisions at similar initial entropy density show a difference of $(7.0 \pm 0.9)$% with an additional variation of +1.8% when including RHIC data in the TRENTo parameter extraction. These observations provide new experimental constraints for viscous effects in the hydrodynamic modeling of the expanding quark-gluon plasma.
Centrality dependence of $v_2\{\Psi_{\mathrm{SP}}\}$, $v_2\{2,|\Delta\eta|>1\}$, and $v_2\{4\}$ in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=2.76~\mathrm{TeV}$.
Centrality dependence of $v_2\{\Psi_{\mathrm{SP}}\}$, $v_2\{2,|\Delta\eta|>1\}$, and $v_2\{4\}$ in Xe-Xe collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.44~\mathrm{TeV}$.
Centrality dependence of $v_2\{\Psi_{\mathrm{SP}}\}/v_2\{4\}$ and $v_2\{2,|\Delta\eta|>1\}/v_2\{4\}$ in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=2.76~\mathrm{TeV}$.
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