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 precision measurement of the $Z$ boson production cross-section at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV in the forward region is presented, using $pp$ collision data collected by the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.1 fb$^{-1}$. The production cross-section is measured using $Z\rightarrow\mu^+\mu^-$ events within the fiducial region defined as pseudorapidity $2.0<\eta<4.5$ and transverse momentum $p_{T}>20$ GeV/$c$ for both muons and dimuon invariant mass $60<M_{\mu\mu}<120$ GeV/$c^2$. The integrated cross-section is determined to be $\sigma (Z \rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^-)$ = 196.4 $\pm$ 0.2 $\pm$ 1.6 $\pm$ 3.9~pb, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third is due to the luminosity determination. The measured results are in agreement with theoretical predictions within uncertainties.
Relative uncertainty for the integrated $Z -> \mu^{+} \mu^{-}$ cross-section measurement. The total uncertainty is the quadratic sum of uncertainties from statistical, systematic and luminosity contributions.
Final state radiation correction used in the $y^{Z}$ cross-section measurement. The first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.
Final state radiation correction used in the $p_{T}^{Z}$ cross-section measurement. The first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.
The production cross-sections of $J/\psi$ mesons in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=5$ TeV are measured using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9.13\pm0.18~\text{pb}^{-1}$, collected by the LHCb experiment. The cross-sections are measured differentially as a function of transverse momentum, $p_{\text{T}}$, and rapidity, $y$, and separately for $J/\psi$ mesons produced promptly and from beauty hadron decays (nonprompt). With the assumption of unpolarised $J/\psi$ mesons, the production cross-sections integrated over the kinematic range $0<p_{\text{T}}<20~\text{GeV}/c$ and $2.0<y<4.5$ are $8.154\pm0.010\pm0.283~\mu\text{b}$ for prompt $J/\psi$ mesons and $0.820\pm0.003\pm0.034~\mu\text{b}$ for nonprompt $J/\psi$ mesons, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. These cross-sections are compared with those at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV and $13$ TeV, and are used to update the measurement of the nuclear modification factor in proton-lead collisions for $J/\psi$ mesons at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{\text{NN}}}=5$ TeV. The results are compared with theoretical predictions.
Double-differential production cross-sections for prompt $J/\psi$ mesons in ($p_\text{T},y$) intervals. The first uncertainties are statistical, the second are correlated systematic uncertainties shared between intervals, the third are uncorrelated systematic uncertainties, and the last are correlated between $p_\text{T}$ intervals and uncorrelated between $y$ intervals.
Double-differential production cross-sections for nonprompt $J/\psi$ mesons in ($p_\text{T},y$) intervals. The first uncertainties are statistical, the second are correlated systematic uncertainties shared between intervals, the third are uncorrelated systematic uncertainties, and the last are correlated between $p_\text{T}$ intervals and uncorrelated between $y$ intervals.
Single-differential production cross-sections for prompt $J/\psi$ mesons as a function of $p_\text{T}$. The first uncertainties are statistical, the second are correlated systematic uncertainties shared between intervals, and the last are uncorrelated systematic uncertainties.
We study the spin-exotic $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ amplitude in single-diffractive dissociation of 190 GeV$/c$ pions into $\pi^-\pi^-\pi^+$ using a hydrogen target and confirm the $\pi_1(1600) \to \rho(770) \pi$ amplitude, which interferes with a nonresonant $1^{-+}$ amplitude. We demonstrate that conflicting conclusions from previous studies on these amplitudes can be attributed to different analysis models and different treatment of the dependence of the amplitudes on the squared four-momentum transfer and we thus reconcile their experimental findings. We study the nonresonant contributions to the $\pi^-\pi^-\pi^+$ final state using pseudo-data generated on the basis of a Deck model. Subjecting pseudo-data and real data to the same partial-wave analysis, we find good agreement concerning the spectral shape and its dependence on the squared four-momentum transfer for the $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ amplitude and also for amplitudes with other $J^{PC}$ quantum numbers. We investigate for the first time the amplitude of the $\pi^-\pi^+$ subsystem with $J^{PC} = 1^{--}$ in the $3\pi$ amplitude with $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ employing the novel freed-isobar analysis scheme. We reveal this $\pi^-\pi^+$ amplitude to be dominated by the $\rho(770)$ for both the $\pi_1(1600)$ and the nonresonant contribution. We determine the $\rho(770)$ resonance parameters within the three-pion final state. These findings largely confirm the underlying assumptions for the isobar model used in all previous partial-wave analyses addressing the $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ amplitude.
Results for the spin-exotic $1^{-+}1^+[\pi\pi]_{1^{-\,-}}\pi P$ wave from the free-isobar partial-wave analysis performed in the first $t^\prime$ bin from $0.100$ to $0.141\;(\text{GeV}/c)^2$. The plotted values represent the intensity of the coherent sum of the dynamic isobar amplitudes $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ as a function of $m_{3\pi}$, where the coherent sums run over all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins indexed by $k$. These intensity values are given in number of events per $40\;\text{MeV}/c^2$ $m_{3\pi}$ interval and correspond to the orange points in Fig. 8(a). In the "Resources" section of this $t^\prime$ bin, we provide the JSON file named <code>transition_amplitudes_tBin_0.json</code> for download, which contains for each $m_{3\pi}$ bin the values of the transition amplitudes $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, their covariances, and further information. The data in this JSON file are organized in independent bins of $m_{3\pi}$. The information in these bins can be accessed via the key <code>m3pi_bin_<#>_t_prime_bin_0</code>. Each independent $m_{3\pi}$ bin contains <ul> <li>the kinematic ranges of the $(m_{3\pi}, t^\prime)$ cell, which are accessible via the keys <code>m3pi_lower_limit</code>, <code>m3pi_upper_limit</code>, <code>t_prime_lower_limit</code>, and <code>t_prime_upper_limit</code>.</li> <li>the $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bin borders, which are accessible via the keys <code>m2pi_lower_limits</code> and <code>m2pi_upper_limits</code>.</li> <li>the real and imaginary parts of the transition amplitudes $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which are accessible via the keys <code>transition_amplitudes_real_part</code> and <code>transition_amplitudes_imag_part</code>, respectively.</li> <li>the covariance matrix of the real and imaginary parts of the $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which is accessible via the key <code>covariance_matrix</code>. Note that this matrix is real-valued and that its rows and columns are indexed such that $(\Re,\Im)$ pairs of the transition amplitudes are arranged with increasing $k$.</li> <li>the normalization factors $\mathcal{N}_a$ in Eq. (13) for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which are accessible via the key <code>normalization_factors</code>.</li> <li>the shape of the zero mode, i.e., the values of $\tilde\Delta_k$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which is accessible via the key <code>zero_mode_shape</code>.</li> <li>the reference wave, which is accessible via the key <code>reference_wave</code>. Note that this is always the $4^{++}1^+\rho(770)\pi G$ wave.</li> </ul>
Results for the spin-exotic $1^{-+}1^+[\pi\pi]_{1^{-\,-}}\pi P$ wave from the free-isobar partial-wave analysis performed in the second $t^\prime$ bin from $0.141$ to $0.194\;(\text{GeV}/c)^2$. The plotted values represent the intensity of the coherent sum of the dynamic isobar amplitudes $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ as a function of $m_{3\pi}$, where the coherent sums run over all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins indexed by $k$. These intensity values are given in number of events per $40\;\text{MeV}/c^2$ $m_{3\pi}$ interval and correspond to the orange points in Fig. 15(a) in the supplemental material of the paper. In the "Resources" section of this $t^\prime$ bin, we provide the JSON file named <code>transition_amplitudes_tBin_1.json</code> for download, which contains for each $m_{3\pi}$ bin the values of the transition amplitudes $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, their covariances, and further information. The data in this JSON file are organized in independent bins of $m_{3\pi}$. The information in these bins can be accessed via the key <code>m3pi_bin_<#>_t_prime_bin_1</code>. Each independent $m_{3\pi}$ bin contains <ul> <li>the kinematic ranges of the $(m_{3\pi}, t^\prime)$ cell, which are accessible via the keys <code>m3pi_lower_limit</code>, <code>m3pi_upper_limit</code>, <code>t_prime_lower_limit</code>, and <code>t_prime_upper_limit</code>.</li> <li>the $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bin borders, which are accessible via the keys <code>m2pi_lower_limits</code> and <code>m2pi_upper_limits</code>.</li> <li>the real and imaginary parts of the transition amplitudes $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which are accessible via the keys <code>transition_amplitudes_real_part</code> and <code>transition_amplitudes_imag_part</code>, respectively.</li> <li>the covariance matrix of the real and imaginary parts of the $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which is accessible via the key <code>covariance_matrix</code>. Note that this matrix is real-valued and that its rows and columns are indexed such that $(\Re,\Im)$ pairs of the transition amplitudes are arranged with increasing $k$.</li> <li>the normalization factors $\mathcal{N}_a$ in Eq. (13) for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which are accessible via the key <code>normalization_factors</code>.</li> <li>the shape of the zero mode, i.e., the values of $\tilde\Delta_k$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which is accessible via the key <code>zero_mode_shape</code>.</li> <li>the reference wave, which is accessible via the key <code>reference_wave</code>. Note that this is always the $4^{++}1^+\rho(770)\pi G$ wave.</li> </ul>
Results for the spin-exotic $1^{-+}1^+[\pi\pi]_{1^{-\,-}}\pi P$ wave from the free-isobar partial-wave analysis performed in the third $t^\prime$ bin from $0.194$ to $0.326\;(\text{GeV}/c)^2$. The plotted values represent the intensity of the coherent sum of the dynamic isobar amplitudes $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ as a function of $m_{3\pi}$, where the coherent sums run over all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins indexed by $k$. These intensity values are given in number of events per $40\;\text{MeV}/c^2$ $m_{3\pi}$ interval and correspond to the orange points in Fig. 15(b) in the supplemental material of the paper. In the "Resources" section of this $t^\prime$ bin, we provide the JSON file named <code>transition_amplitudes_tBin_2.json</code> for download, which contains for each $m_{3\pi}$ bin the values of the transition amplitudes $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, their covariances, and further information. The data in this JSON file are organized in independent bins of $m_{3\pi}$. The information in these bins can be accessed via the key <code>m3pi_bin_<#>_t_prime_bin_2</code>. Each independent $m_{3\pi}$ bin contains <ul> <li>the kinematic ranges of the $(m_{3\pi}, t^\prime)$ cell, which are accessible via the keys <code>m3pi_lower_limit</code>, <code>m3pi_upper_limit</code>, <code>t_prime_lower_limit</code>, and <code>t_prime_upper_limit</code>.</li> <li>the $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bin borders, which are accessible via the keys <code>m2pi_lower_limits</code> and <code>m2pi_upper_limits</code>.</li> <li>the real and imaginary parts of the transition amplitudes $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which are accessible via the keys <code>transition_amplitudes_real_part</code> and <code>transition_amplitudes_imag_part</code>, respectively.</li> <li>the covariance matrix of the real and imaginary parts of the $\{\mathcal{T}_k^\text{fit}\}$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which is accessible via the key <code>covariance_matrix</code>. Note that this matrix is real-valued and that its rows and columns are indexed such that $(\Re,\Im)$ pairs of the transition amplitudes are arranged with increasing $k$.</li> <li>the normalization factors $\mathcal{N}_a$ in Eq. (13) for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which are accessible via the key <code>normalization_factors</code>.</li> <li>the shape of the zero mode, i.e., the values of $\tilde\Delta_k$ for all $m_{\pi^-\pi^+}$ bins, which is accessible via the key <code>zero_mode_shape</code>.</li> <li>the reference wave, which is accessible via the key <code>reference_wave</code>. Note that this is always the $4^{++}1^+\rho(770)\pi G$ wave.</li> </ul>
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.
Mesons comprising a beauty quark and a strange quark can oscillate between particle (B0s) and antiparticle (B0s) flavour eigenstates, with a frequency given by the mass difference between heavy and light mass eigenstates, deltams. Here we present ameasurement of deltams using B0s2DsPi decays produced in proton-proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The oscillation frequency is found to be deltams = 17.7683 +- 0.0051 +- 0.0032 ps-1, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This measurement improves upon the current deltams precision by a factor of two. We combine this result with previous LHCb measurements to determine deltams = 17.7656 +- 0.0057 ps-1, which is the legacy measurement of the original LHCb detector.
Summary of LHCb measurements. Comparison of LHCb $\Delta m_s$ measurements from Refs. [8–11], the result presented in this article and their average. For the average, following systematic uncertainties are assumed to be fully correlated(:) zScale, MomentumScale, VeloAlignment and DecayTimeBias. The measurements are statistically uncorrelated.
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 transversity distribution, which describes transversely polarized quarks in transversely polarized nucleons, is a fundamental component of the spin structure of the nucleon, and is only loosely constrained by global fits to existing semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) data. In transversely polarized $p^\uparrow+p$ collisions it can be accessed using transverse polarization dependent fragmentation functions which give rise to azimuthal correlations between the polarization of the struck parton and the final state scalar mesons. This letter reports on spin dependent di-hadron correlations measured by the STAR experiment. The new dataset corresponds to 25 pb$^{-1}$ integrated luminosity of $p^\uparrow+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=500$ GeV, an increase of more than a factor of ten compared to our previous measurement at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV. Non-zero asymmetries sensitive to transversity are observed at a $Q^2$ of several hundred GeV and are found to be consistent with the former measurement and a model calculation. %we observe consistent with the former measurement are observed.} We expect that these data will enable an extraction of transversity with comparable precision to current SIDIS datasets but at much higher momentum transfers where subleading effects are suppressed.
Squared 4-momentum transfer $Q^2$ vs x coverage of STAR .
$A_{UT}$ as a function of $\eta$ for $<p_{T}>$ = 13 GeV/c and $<M_{inv}>$ = 1 GeV/($c^2$) (Upper panel of the fig. 3). Kinematic variables $<x>$, $<z>$ as a function of $\eta$ for $<p_{T}>$ = 13 GeV/c and $<M_{inv}>$ = 1 GeV/($c^2$) (Lower panel of the fig. 3). In addition to statistical uncertainties, systematic uncertainties originating from PID and trigger bias systematic uncertainties are also mentioned for $A_{UT}$.
$A_{UT}$ as a function of $<M_{inv}>$ for pT bin $<p_{T}>$ = 4 GeV/c for $\eta > 0$ and $\eta < 0$. In addition to statistical uncertainties, systematic uncertainties originating from PID and trigger bias systematic uncertainties are also mentioned.
Fluctuations of conserved quantities such as baryon number, charge, and strangeness are sensitive to the correlation length of the hot and dense matter created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions and can be used to search for the QCD critical point. We report the first measurements of the moments of net-kaon multiplicity distributions in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 7.7, 11.5, 14.5, 19.6, 27, 39, 62.4, and 200 GeV. The collision centrality and energy dependence of the mean ($M$), variance ($\sigma^2$), skewness ($S$), and kurtosis ($\kappa$) for net-kaon multiplicity distributions as well as the ratio $\sigma^2/M$ and the products $S\sigma$ and $\kappa\sigma^2$ are presented. Comparisons are made with Poisson and negative binomial baseline calculations as well as with UrQMD, a transport model (UrQMD) that does not include effects from the QCD critical point. Within current uncertainties, the net-kaon cumulant ratios appear to be monotonic as a function of collision energy.
Raw $\Delta N_k$ distributions in Au+Au collisions at 7.7 GeV for 0–5%, 30–40%, and 70–80% collision centralities at midrapidity. The distributions are not corrected for the finite centrality bin width effect nor the reconstruction efficiency.
Raw $\Delta N_k$ distributions in Au+Au collisions at 11.5 GeV for 0–5%, 30–40%, and 70–80% collision centralities at midrapidity. The distributions are not corrected for the finite centrality bin width effect nor the reconstruction efficiency.
Raw $\Delta N_k$ distributions in Au+Au collisions at 14.5 GeV for 0–5%, 30–40%, and 70–80% collision centralities at midrapidity. The distributions are not corrected for the finite centrality bin width effect nor the reconstruction efficiency.
Forum