The first measurement of the ${\rm e}^{+}{\rm e}^{-}$ pair production at low lepton pair transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T,ee}$) and low invariant mass ($m_{\rm ee}$) in non-central Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV at the LHC is presented. The dielectron production is studied with the ALICE detector at midrapidity ($|\eta_{\rm e}| < 0.8$) as a function of invariant mass ($0.4 \leq m_{\rm ee} < 2.7$ GeV/$c^2$) in the 50$-$70% and 70$-$90% centrality classes for $p_{\rm T,ee} < 0.1$ GeV/$c$, and as a function of $p_{\rm T,ee}$ in three $m_{\rm ee}$ intervals in the most peripheral Pb$-$Pb collisions. Below a $p_{\rm T,ee}$ of 0.1 GeV/$c$, a clear excess of ${\rm e}^{+}{\rm e}^{-}$ pairs is found compared to the expectations from known hadronic sources and predictions of thermal radiation from the medium. The $m_{\rm ee}$ excess spectra are reproduced, within uncertainties, by different predictions of the photon$-$photon production of dielectrons, where the photons originate from the extremely strong electromagnetic fields generated by the highly Lorentz-contracted Pb nuclei. Lowest-order quantum electrodynamic (QED) calculations, as well as a model that takes into account the impact-parameter dependence of the average transverse momentum of the photons, also provide a good description of the $p_{\rm T,ee}$ spectra. The measured $\sqrt{\langle p_{\rm T,ee}^{2} \rangle}$ of the excess $p_{\rm T,ee}$ spectrum in peripheral Pb$-$Pb collisions is found to be comparable to the values observed previously at RHIC in a similar phase-space region.
Differential $e^+e^-$ yield in 50--70\% Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV as a function of $m_{\rm ee}$ for $p_{\rm T,ee} < 0.1$ GeV/$c$. Electrons are measured within $|\eta_{\rm e}| < 0.8$ and $p_{\rm T,e} > 0.2$ GeV/$c$. The quoted upper limits correspond to a 90% confidence level.
Differential $e^+e^-$ yield in 70--90\% Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV as a function of $m_{\rm ee}$ for $p_{\rm T,ee} < 0.1$ GeV/$c$. Electrons are measured within $|\eta_{\rm e}| < 0.8$ and $p_{\rm T,e} > 0.2$ GeV/$c$.
Differential excess $e^+e^-$ yield in 50--70\% Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV as a function of $m_{\rm ee}$ for $p_{\rm T,ee} < 0.1$ GeV/$c$. Electrons are measured within $|\eta_{\rm e}| < 0.8$ and $p_{\rm T,e} > 0.2$ GeV/$c$. The quoted upper limits correspond to a 90% confidence level.
The first measurement of event-by-event antideuteron number fluctuations in high energy heavy-ion collisions is presented. The measurements are carried out at midrapidity ($|\eta| < 0.8$) as a function of collision centrality in Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV using the ALICE detector. A significant negative correlation between the produced antiprotons and antideuterons is observed in all collision centralities. The results are compared with coalescence calculations, which fail to describe the measurement, in particular if a correlated production of protons and neutrons is assumed. Thermal-statistical model calculations describe the data within uncertainties only for correlation volumes that are different with respect to those describing proton yields and a similar measurement of net-proton number fluctuations.
Second order to first order cumulant ratio of the $\overline{d}$ multiplicity distribution as a function of collision centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV.
Pearson correlation between the measured $\overline{p}$ and $\overline{d}$ as a function of collision centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV.
Dependence of $\overline{p}$-$\overline{d}$ correlation on pseudorapidity acceptance of $\overline{p}$ and $\overline{d}$ selection in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV. Results are for 0.0--10.0$\%$ collision centrality.
We report about the properties of the underlying event measured with ALICE at the LHC in pp and p$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV. The event activity, quantified by charged-particle number and summed-$p_{\rm T}$ densities, is measured as a function of the leading-particle transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig}$). These quantities are studied in three azimuthal-angle regions relative to the leading particle in the event: toward, away, and transverse. Results are presented for three different $p_{\rm T}$ thresholds (0.15, 0.5, and 1 GeV/$c$) at mid-pseudorapidity ($|\eta|<0.8$). The event activity in the transverse region, which is the most sensitive to the underlying event, exhibits similar behaviour in both pp and p$-$Pb collisions, namely, a steep increase with $p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig}$ for low $p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig}$, followed by a saturation at $p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig} \approx 5$ GeV/$c$. The results from pp collisions are compared with existing measurements at other centre-of-mass energies. The quantities in the toward and away regions are also analyzed after the subtraction of the contribution measured in the transverse region. The remaining jet-like particle densities are consistent in pp and p$-$Pb collisions for $p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig}>10$ GeV/$c$, whereas for lower $p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig}$ values the event activity is slightly higher in p$-$Pb than in pp collisions. The measurements are compared with predictions from the PYTHIA 8 and EPOS LHC Monte Carlo event generators.
Fig. 4: Number density $N_{\rm ch}$ (left) and $\Sigma p_{\rm T}$ (right) distributions as a function of $p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig}$ in Transverse, Away, and Toward regions for $p_{\rm T} >$ 0.5 GeV/$c$. The shaded areas and the error bars around the data points represent the systematic and statistical uncertainties, respectively.
Fig. 5: Number density $N_{\rm ch}$ (left) and $\Sigma p_{\rm T}$ (right) distributions as a function of $p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig}$ in Transverse, Away, and Toward regions for $p_{\rm T} >$ 0.5 GeV/$c$. The shaded areas and the error bars around the data points represent the systematic and statistical uncertainties, respectively.
Fig. 6a: Number density $N_{\rm ch}$ (left) and $\Sigma p_{\rm T}$ (right) distributions as a function of $p_{\rm T}^{\rm trig}$ in Away and Toward regions after the subtraction of Number density $N_{\rm ch}$ and $\Sigma p_{\rm T}$ distributions in the transverse region for pp collisions for $p_{\rm T} >$ 0.5 GeV/$c$. The shaded areas and the error bars around the data points represent the systematic and statistical uncertainties, respectively.
A search for a heavy resonance decaying into a top quark and a W boson in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV is presented. The data analyzed were recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The top quark is reconstructed as a single jet and the W boson, from its decay into an electron or muon and the corresponding neutrino. A top quark tagging technique based on jet clustering with a variable distance parameter and simultaneous jet grooming is used to identify jets from the collimated top quark decay. The results are interpreted in the context of two benchmark models, where the heavy resonance is either an excited bottom quark b$^*$ or a vector-like quark B. A statistical combination with an earlier search by the CMS Collaboration in the all-hadronic final state is performed to place upper cross section limits on these two models. The new analysis extends the lower range of resonance mass probed from 1.4 down to 0.7 TeV. For left-handed, right-handed, and vector-like couplings, b$^*$ masses up to 3.0, 3.0, and 3.2 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level, respectively. The observed upper limits represent the most stringent constraints on the b$^*$ model to date.
Distributions of MtW in the 1b category. The data are shown by filled markers, where the horizontal bars indicate the bin widths. The individual background contributions are given by filled histograms. The expected signal for a LH b* with mb∗ = 2.4 TeV is shown by a dashed line. The shaded region is the uncertainty in the total background estimate. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to the background estimate, with the total uncertainty on the predicted background displayed as the gray band.
Distributions of MtW in the 2b category. The data are shown by filled markers, where the horizontal bars indicate the bin widths. The individual background contributions are given by filled histograms. The expected signal for a LH b* with mb∗ = 2.4 TeV is shown by a dashed line. The shaded region is the uncertainty in the total background estimate. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to the background estimate, with the total uncertainty on the predicted background displayed as the gray band.
Upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction of the b* LH hypothesis at a 95% CL. Dashed colored lines show the expected limits from the l+jets and all-hadronic channels, where the latter start at resonance masses of 1.4 TeV. The observed and expected limits from the combination are shown as solid and dashed black lines, respectively. The green and yellow bands show the 68 and 95% confidence intervals on the combined expected limits.
In particle collider experiments, elementary particle interactions with large momentum transfer produce quarks and gluons (known as partons) whose evolution is governed by the strong force, as described by the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). These partons subsequently emit further partons in a process that can be described as a parton shower which culminates in the formation of detectable hadrons. Studying the pattern of the parton shower is one of the key experimental tools for testing QCD. This pattern is expected to depend on the mass of the initiating parton, through a phenomenon known as the dead-cone effect, which predicts a suppression of the gluon spectrum emitted by a heavy quark of mass $m_{\rm{Q}}$ and energy $E$, within a cone of angular size $m_{\rm{Q}}$/$E$ around the emitter. Previously, a direct observation of the dead-cone effect in QCD had not been possible, owing to the challenge of reconstructing the cascading quarks and gluons from the experimentally accessible hadrons. We report the direct observation of the QCD dead cone by using new iterative declustering techniques to reconstruct the parton shower of charm quarks. This result confirms a fundamental feature of QCD. Furthermore, the measurement of a dead-cone angle constitutes a direct experimental observation of the non-zero mass of the charm quark, which is a fundamental constant in the standard model of particle physics.
The $R(\theta)$ variable for charm/inclusive emissions in three bins of $E_{Rad}$: 5-10, 10-20 and 20-35 GeV.
The Standard Model of particle physics encapsulates our current best understanding of physics at the smallest scales. A fundamental axiom of this theory is the universality of the couplings of the different generations of leptons to the electroweak gauge bosons. The measurement of the ratio of the rate of decay of $W$ bosons to $\tau$-leptons and muons, $R(\tau/\mu) = B(W \to \tau \nu_\tau)/B(W \to \mu \nu_\mu)$, constitutes an important test of this axiom. A measurement of this quantity with a novel technique using di-leptonic $t\bar{t}$ events is presented based on 139 fb${}^{-1}$ of data recorded with the ATLAS detector in proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV. Muons originating from $W$ bosons and those originating from an intermediate $\tau$-lepton are distinguished using the lifetime of the $\tau$-lepton, through the muon transverse impact parameter, and differences in the muon transverse momentum spectra. The value of $R(\tau/\mu)$ is found to be $0.992 \pm 0.013 [\pm 0.007 (stat) \pm 0.011 (syst)]$ and is in agreement with the hypothesis of universal lepton couplings as postulated in the Standard Model. This is the most precise measurement of this ratio, and the only such measurement from the Large Hadron Collider, to date.
The number of data and fitted simulated events in each bin of the $|d_{0}^{\mu}|$ distribution in the $5<p_{\textrm{T}}^{\mu}<10$ GeV selection in the $e-\mu$ channel.
The number of data and fitted simulated events in each bin of the $|d_{0}^{\mu}|$ distribution in the $5<p_{\textrm{T}}^{\mu}<10$ GeV selection in the $\mu-\mu$ channel.
The number of data and fitted simulated events in each bin of the $|d_{0}^{\mu}|$ distribution in the $10<p_{\textrm{T}}^{\mu}<20$ GeV selection in the $e-\mu$ channel.
Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $2.0\,fb^{-1}$, collected by the LHCb experiment, the production of the $\eta_c(1S)$ state in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13 \text{ TeV}$ is studied in the rapidity range ${2.0 < y < 4.5}$ and in the transverse momentum range ${6.5 < p_{T} < 14.0\text{ GeV}}$. The cross-section for prompt production of $\eta_c(1S)$ mesons relative to that of the $J/\psi$ meson is measured using the ${p\bar{p}}$ decay mode and is found to be ${\sigma_{\eta_c(1S)}/\sigma_{J/\psi} = 1.69 \pm 0.15 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.18}$. The quoted uncertainties are, in order, statistical, systematic and due to uncertainties on the branching fractions of the ${J/\psi\to p \bar{p}}$ and ${\eta_c\to p \bar{p}}$ decays. The prompt $\eta_c(1S)$ production cross-section is determined to be ${\sigma_{\eta_c(1S)} = 1.26 \pm 0.11\pm 0.08 \pm 0.14 \,\mu b}$, where the last uncertainty includes that on the ${J/\psi}$ meson cross-section. The ratio of the branching fractions of $b$-hadron decays to the $\eta_c(1S)$ and ${J/\psi}$ states is measured to be ${\mathcal{B}_{b\to\eta_c X}/\mathcal{B}_{b\to J/\psi X} = 0.48 \pm 0.03 \pm 0.03 \pm 0.05}$, where the last uncertainty is due to those on the branching fractions of the ${J/\psi \to p \bar{p}}$ and ${\eta_c\to p \bar{p}}$ decays. The difference between the ${J/\psi}$ and $\eta_c(1S)$ masses is also determined to be ${113.0 \pm 0.7 \pm 0.1\text{ MeV}}$, which is the most precise single measurement of this quantity to date.
Relative $\eta_c$ to $J/\psi$ differential production cross-sections for prompt production. The uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the ${\eta_c\to p\bar{p}}$ and ${J/\psi\to p\bar{p}}$ branching fractions, respectively.
Differential production cross-sections of $\eta_c$ for prompt production. The uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the $\eta_c\to p \bar{p}$ and $J/\psi\to p \bar{p}$ branching fractions and $J/\psi$ production cross-section.
Relative $\eta_c$ to $J/\psi$ differential production cross-sections for production in $b$-hadron inclusive decays. The uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the ${\eta_c\to p\bar{p}}$ and ${J/\psi\to p\bar{p}}$ branching fractions, respectively.
The production of the $\Lambda$(1520) baryonic resonance has been measured at midrapidity in inelastic pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV and in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV for non-single diffractive events and in multiplicity classes. The resonance is reconstructed through its hadronic decay channel $\Lambda$(1520) $\rightarrow$ pK$^{-}$ and the charge conjugate with the ALICE detector. The integrated yields and mean transverse momenta are calculated from the measured transverse momentum distributions in pp and p-Pb collisions. The mean transverse momenta follow mass ordering as previously observed for other hyperons in the same collision systems. A Blast-Wave function constrained by other light hadrons ($\pi$, K, K$_{\rm{S}}^0$, p, $\Lambda$) describes the shape of the $\Lambda$(1520) transverse momentum distribution up to 3.5 GeV/$c$ in p-Pb collisions. In the framework of this model, this observation suggests that the $\Lambda(1520)$ resonance participates in the same collective radial flow as other light hadrons. The ratio of the yield of $\Lambda(1520)$ to the yield of the ground state particle $\Lambda$ remains constant as a function of charged-particle multiplicity, suggesting that there is no net effect of the hadronic phase in p-Pb collisions on the $\Lambda$(1520) yield.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $\Lambda$(1520) (sum of particle and anti-particle states) at midrapidity in inelastic pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ $\mathrm{=}$ 7 TeV.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $\Lambda$(1520) (sum of particle and anti-particle states) in NSD p--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ $\mathrm{=}$ 5.02 TeV. The uncertainty 'sys,$p_{\rm T}$-correlated' indicates the systematic uncertainty after removing the contributions of $p_{\rm T}$-uncorrelated uncertainty.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $\Lambda$(1520) (sum of particle and anti-particle states) in p--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ $\mathrm{=}$ 5.02 TeV in multiplicity interval 0--20\%. The uncertainty 'sys,$p_{\rm T}$-correlated' indicates the systematic uncertainty after removing the contributions of $p_{\rm T}$-uncorrelated uncertainty.
The production of charged hadrons within jets recoiling against a $Z$ boson is measured in proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded by the LHCb experiment. The charged-hadron structure of the jet is studied longitudinally and transverse to the jet axis for jets with transverse momentum $p_{\mathrm{T}}>20$ GeV and in the pseudorapidity range $2.5<\eta<4$. These are the first measurements of jet hadronization at these forward rapidities and also the first where the jet is produced in association with a $Z$ boson. In contrast to previous hadronization measurements at the Large Hadron Collider, which are dominated by gluon jets, these measurements probe predominantly light-quark jets which are found to be more longitudinally and transversely collimated with respect to the jet axis when compared to the previous gluon dominated measurements. Therefore, these results provide valuable information on differences between quarks and gluons regarding nonperturbative hadronization dynamics.
Distributions of the longitudinal momentum fraction of the hadron with respect to the jet.
Distributions of the transverse momentum of charged hadrons with respect to the jet axis.
Radial profile distributions of hadrons with respect to the jet axis.
A narrow pentaquark state, $P_c(4312)^+$, decaying to $J/\psi p$ is discovered with a statistical significance of $7.3\sigma$ in a data sample of ${\Lambda_b^0\to J/\psi p K^-}$ decays which is an order of magnitude larger than that previously analyzed by the LHCb collaboration. The $P_c(4450)^+$ pentaquark structure formerly reported by LHCb is confirmed and observed to consist of two narrow overlapping peaks, $P_c(4440)^+$ and $P_c(4457)^+$, where the statistical significance of this two-peak interpretation is $5.4\sigma$. Proximity of the $\Sigma_c^+\bar{D}^{0}$ and $\Sigma_c^+\bar{D}^{*0}$ thresholds to the observed narrow peaks suggests that they play an important role in the dynamics of these states.
Distribution of $(J/\psi p)$ system invariant mass from the decay of $\Lambda_{b}^{0}$ candidates in the channel $\Lambda_{b}^{0} \to J/\psi p K^{-}$.
Distribution of $(J/\psi p)$ system invariant mass from the decay of $\Lambda_{b}^{0}$ candidates in the channel $\Lambda_{b}^{0} \to J/\psi p K^{-}$. $\Lambda_{b}^{0}$ candidates are selected after the suppression of the dominant $\Lambda^{*} \to p K^{-}$ contributions using the $m_{Kp} > 1.9$ GeV$/c^2$ requirement.
$\cos \theta_{P_c}$-weighted ditribution of $(J/\psi p)$ system invariant mass from the decay of $\Lambda_{b}^{0}$ candidates in the channel $\Lambda_{b}^{0} \to J/\psi p K^{-}$. Here $\theta_{P_c}$ is the helicity angle of the pentaquark exotic state (the angle between $K^-$ and $J/\psi$ in the pentaquark state rest frame).
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