In this Letter we report the first results on $\pi^\pm$, K$^\pm$, p and $\mathrm {p\overline{p}}$ production at mid-rapidity ($\left|y\right|<0.5$) in central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV, measured by the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The $p_{\rm T}$ distributions and yields are compared to previous results at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 200 GeV and expectations from hydrodynamic and thermal models. The spectral shapes indicate a strong increase of the radial flow velocity with $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$, which in hydrodynamic models is expected as a consequence of the increasing particle density. While the ${\rm K}/\pi$ ratio is in line with predictions from the thermal model, the ${\rm p}/\pi$ ratio is found to be lower by a factor of about 1.5. This deviation from thermal model expectations is still to be understood.
Transverse momentum distribution for positve and negative pions.
Transverse momentum distribution for positve and negative kaons.
Transverse momentum distribution for positve and negative protons.
The polarization of the $\Lambda$ and $\overline\Lambda$ hyperons along the beam ($z$) direction, $P_{\rm z}$, has been measured in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02TeV recorded with ALICE at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The main contribution to $P_{\rm z}$ comes from elliptic flow induced vorticity and can be characterized by the second Fourier sine coefficient $P_{\rm z,s2} = \langle P_{\rm z} \sin(2\varphi - 2 \Psi_{\rm 2}) \rangle$, where $\varphi$ is the hyperon azimuthal emission angle, and $\Psi_{\rm 2}$ is the elliptic flow plane angle. We report the measurement of $P_{\rm z,\,{\rm s2}}$ for different collision centralities, and in the 30-50% centrality interval as a function of the hyperon transverse momentum and rapidity. The $P_{\rm z,\,{\rm s2}}$ is positive similarly as measured by the STAR Collaboration in Au-Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 200 GeV, with somewhat smaller amplitude in the semi-central collisions. This is the first experimental evidence of a non-zero hyperon $P_{\rm z}$ in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC. The comparison of the measured $P_{\rm z,\,{\rm s2}}$ with the hydrodynamic model calculations shows sensitivity to the competing contributions from thermal and the recently found shear induced vorticity, as well as to whether the polarization is acquired at the quark-gluon plasma or the hadronic phase.
Invariant mass dependence of the $P_{z}$ for $\overline\Lambda$ in the 30-40% centrality class in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV.
The average $(\Lambda + \overline\Lambda)$ polarization along beam direction as function of centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV.
The average $(\Lambda + \overline\Lambda)$ polarization along beam direction as function of hyperon transverse momentum ($p_{\mathrm{T}}$) for 30-50% centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV.
The Chiral Magnetic Wave (CMW) phenomenon is essential to provide insights into the strong interaction in QCD, the properties of the quark-gluon plasma, and the topological characteristics of the early universe, offering a deeper understanding of fundamental physics in high-energy collisions. Measurements of the charge-dependent anisotropic flow coefficients are studied in Pb-Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=$ 5.02 TeV to probe the CMW. In particular, the slope of the normalized difference in elliptic ($v_{2}$) and triangular ($v_{3}$) flow coefficients of positively and negatively charged particles as a function of their event-wise normalized number difference, is reported for inclusive and identified particles. The slope $r_{3}^{\rm Norm}$ is found to be larger than zero and to have a magnitude similar to $r_{2}^{\rm Norm}$, thus pointing to a large background contribution for these measurements. Furthermore, $r_{2}^{\rm Norm}$ can be described by a blast wave model calculation that incorporates local charge conservation. In addition, using the event shape engineering technique yields a fraction of CMW ($f_{\rm CMW}$) contribution to this measurement which is compatible with zero. This measurement provides the very first upper limit for $f_{\rm CMW}$, and in the 10-60% centrality interval it is found to be 26% (38%) at 95% (99.7%) confidence level.
Normalized $\Delta\it{v}_{2}$ slope of charged hadrons as a function of centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV.
Normalized $\Delta\it{v}_{2}$ slope of kaons as a function of centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV.
Normalized $\Delta\it{v}_{2}$ slope of pions as a function of centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV.
The first measurement at the LHC of charge-dependent directed flow ($v_{1}$) relative to the spectator plane is presented for Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV. Results are reported for charged hadrons and $\rm D^{0}$ mesons for the transverse momentum intervals $p_{\rm T}>0.2$ GeV/$c$ and $3<p_{\rm T}<$ 6 GeV/$c$ in the 5-40% and 10-40% centrality classes, respectively. The difference between the positively and negatively charged hadron $v_{1}$ has a positive slope as a function of pseudorapidity $\eta$, ${\rm d}\Delta{v_1}/{\rm d}\eta=$[1.68 $\pm$ 0.49 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.41 (syst.)] $\times 10^{-4}$. The same measurement for $\rm D^{0}$ and $\rm\bar{D}{}^0$ mesons yields a positive value ${\rm d}\Delta{v_1}/{\rm d}\eta$= [4.9 $\pm$ 1.7 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.6 (syst.)]$\times 10^{-1}$, which is about three orders of magnitude larger than the one of the charged hadrons. These measurements can provide new insights into the effects of the strong electromagnetic field and the initial tilt of matter created in non-central heavy-ion collisions on the dynamics of light (u, d, and s) and heavy (c) quarks. The large difference between the observed $\Delta{v_1}$ of charged hadrons and $\rm D^{0}$ mesons may reflect different sensitivity of the charm and light quarks to the early time dynamics of a heavy-ion collision. These observations challenge some of the recent theoretical calculations, which predicted a negative and an order of magnitude smaller value of ${\rm d}\Delta{v_1}/{\rm d}\eta$ for both light-flavour and charmed hadrons.
Directed flow positive hadrons 5-40%
Directed flow negative hadrons 5-40%
Delta Directed flow hadrons
The production of $\Lambda$ baryons and ${\rm K}^{0}_{\rm S}$ mesons (${\rm V}^{0}$ particles) was measured in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV and pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV with ALICE at the LHC. The production of these strange particles is studied separately for particles associated with hard scatterings and the underlying event to shed light on the baryon-to-meson ratio enhancement observed at intermediate transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) in high multiplicity pp and p-Pb collisions. Hard scatterings are selected on an event-by-event basis with jets reconstructed with the anti-$k_{\rm T}$ algorithm using charged particles. The production of strange particles associated with jets $p_{\rm T,\;jet}^{\rm ch}>10$ and $p_{\rm T,\;jet}^{\rm ch}>20$ GeV/$c$ in p-Pb collisions, and with jet $p_{\rm T,\;jet}^{\rm ch}>10$ GeV/$c$ in pp collisions is reported as a function of $p_{\rm T}$. Its dependence on angular distance from the jet axis, $R({\rm V}^{0},\;{\rm jet})$, for jets with $p_{\rm T,\;jet}^{\rm ch}>10$ GeV/$c$ in p-Pb collisions is reported as well. The $p_{\rm T}$-differential production spectra of strange particles associated with jets are found to be harder compared to that in the underlying event and both differ from the inclusive measurements. In events containing a jet, the density of the ${\rm V}^{0}$ particles in the underlying event is found to be larger than the density in the minimum bias events. The $\Lambda/{\rm K}^{0}_{\rm S}$ ratio associated with jets in p-Pb collisions is consistent with the ratio in pp collisions and follows the expectation of jets fragmenting in vacuum. On the other hand, this ratio within jets is consistently lower than the one obtained in the underlying event and it does not show the characteristic enhancement of baryons at intermediate $p_{\rm T}$ often referred to as "baryon anomaly" in the inclusive measurements.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential density of inclusive ${\rm V}^{0}$ particles in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential density of ${\rm V}^{0}$ particles in underlying events (perp. cone) in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential densities of ${\rm V}^{0}$ particles selected with $R({\rm V}^{0},{\rm jet}) < 0.4$ and that produced in jets in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV.
The transverse momentum distributions of the strange and double-strange hyperon resonances ($\Sigma(1385)^{\pm}$, $\Xi(1530)^{0}$) produced in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV were measured in the rapidity range $-0.5< y_{\rm{CMS}}<0$ for event classes corresponding to different charged-particle multiplicity densities, $\langle{\rm d}N_{\rm{ch}}/{\rm d}\eta_{\rm{lab}}\rangle$. The mean transverse momentum values are presented as a function of $\langle{\rm d}N_{\rm{ch}}/{\rm d}\eta_{\rm{lab}}\rangle$, as well as a function of the particle masses and compared with previous results on hyperon production. The integrated yield ratios of excited to ground-state hyperons are constant as a function of $\langle{\rm d}N_{\rm{ch}}/{\rm d}\eta_{\rm{lab}}\rangle$. The equivalent ratios to pions exhibit an increase with $\langle{\rm d}N_{\rm{ch}}/{\rm d}\eta_{\rm{lab}}\rangle$, depending on their strangeness content.
Average charged particle pseudo-rapidity density, $\langle\rm{d}N_{\rm{ch}}/\rm{d}\eta_{\rm{lab}}\rangle$, measured at mid-rapidity in visible cross section event classes. Multiplicity classes are defined using the V0A estimator; values for $\langle\rm{d}N_{\rm{ch}}/\rm{d}\eta_{\rm{lab}}\rangle$ are corrected for vertexing and trigger efficiency. Since statistical uncertainties are negligible, only total systematic uncertainties are reported.
Average charged particle pseudo-rapidity density, $\langle\rm{d}N_{\rm{ch}}/\rm{d}\eta_{\rm{lab}}\rangle$, measured at mid-rapidity in visible cross section event classes. Multiplicity classes are defined using the V0A estimator; values for $\langle\rm{d}N_{\rm{ch}}/\rm{d}\eta_{\rm{lab}}\rangle$ are corrected for vertexing and trigger efficiency. Since statistical uncertainties are negligible, only total systematic uncertainties are reported.
$p_{\rm{T}}$-differential yield of $\Sigma^{*+}$ in p-Pb collisions with centre-of-mass energy/nucleon=5.02 TeV (NSD).
The production of the strange and double-strange baryon resonances ($\Sigma(1385)^{\pm}$, $\Xi(1530)^{0}$) has been measured at mid-rapidity ($\left | y \right |<0.5$) in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. Transverse momentum spectra for inelastic collisions are compared to QCD-inspired models, which in general underpredict the data. A search for the $\phi(1860)$ pentaquark, decaying in the $\Xi\pi$ channel, has been carried out but no evidence is seen.
Inelastic baryon yields, d2N/(dydpT), per pT interval per unit rapidity for Sigma(1385)+- in INEL pp collisions at sqrts 7 TeV in |y| < 0.5.
Inelastic baryon yields, d2N/(dydpT), per pT interval per unit rapidity for Xi(1530)0 in INEL pp collisions at sqrts 7 TeV in |y| < 0.5.
Mean pT as function of the mass for particles measured with the ALICE detector in INEL pp collisions at sqrts 7 TeV in |y| < 0.5.
The invariant differential cross section of inclusive $\omega(782)$ meson production at midrapidity ($|y|<0.5$) in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV was measured with the ALICE detector at the LHC over a transverse momentum range of 2 < $p_{\rm{T}}$ < 17 GeV/$c$. The $\omega$ meson was reconstructed via its $\omega\rightarrow\pi^+\pi^-\pi^0$ decay channel. The measured $\omega$ production cross section is compared to various calculations: PYTHIA 8.2 Monash 2013 describes the data, while PYTHIA 8.2 Tune 4C overestimates the data by about 50%. A recent NLO calculation, which includes a model describing the fragmentation of the whole vector-meson nonet, describes the data within uncertainties below 6 GeV/$c$, while it overestimates the data by up to 50% for higher $p_{\rm{T}}$. The $\omega/\pi^0$ ratio is in agreement with previous measurements at lower collision energies and the PYTHIA calculations. In addition, the measurement is compatible with transverse mass scaling within the measured $p_{\rm{T}}$ range and the ratio is constant with $C^{\omega/\pi^{0}}$ = 0.67 $\pm$ 0.03 (stat) $\pm$ 0.04 (sys) above a transverse momentum of 2.5 GeV/$c$.
Invariant differential cross section of OMEGA mesons produced in inelastic pp collisions at center-of-mass energy 7 TeV, the uncertainty of sigma_{MB} of 3.5% is not included in the systematic error.
The measured ratio of cross sections for inclusive OMEGA to PI0 production at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV.
The invariant differential cross sections for inclusive $\pi^{0}$ and $\eta$ mesons at midrapidity were measured in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=2.76$ TeV for transverse momenta $0.4<p_{\rm T}<40$ GeV/$c$ and $0.6<p_{\rm T}<20$ GeV/$c$, respectively, using the ALICE detector. This large range in $p_{\rm T}$ was achieved by combining various analysis techniques and different triggers involving the electromagnetic calorimeter (EMCal). In particular, a new single-cluster, shower-shape based method was developed for the identification of high-$p_{\rm T}$ neutral pions, which exploits that the showers originating from their decay photons overlap in the EMCal. The measured cross sections are found to exhibit a similar power-law behavior with an exponent of about $6.3$. Next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations differ from the measured cross sections by about $30$% for the $\pi^0$, and between $30$-$50$% for the $\eta$ meson, while generator-level simulations with PYTHIA 8.2 describe the data to better than $10$-$30$%, except at $p_{\rm T}<1$ GeV/$c$. The new data can therefore be used to further improve the theoretical description of $\pi^{0}$ and $\eta$ meson production.
Invariant differential yields of $\pi^0$ produced in inelastic pp collisions at center-of-mass energy 2.76 TeV, the normalization uncertainties of 5.7% are not included in the systematic error.
Invariant differential yields of $\eta$ produced in inelastic pp collisions at center-of-mass energy 2.76 TeV, the normalization uncertainties of 5.7% are not included in the systematic error.
Invariant differential cross section of $\pi^0$ produced in inelastic pp collisions at center-of-mass energy 2.76 TeV, the uncertainty of $\sigma_{MB}$ of 2.5% is not included in the systematic error.
The production of strange hadrons (K$^{0}_{\rm S}$, $\Lambda$, $\Xi^{\pm}$, and $\Omega^{\pm}$), baryon-to-meson ratios ($\Lambda/{\rm K}^0_{\rm S}$, $\Xi/{\rm K}^0_{\rm S }$, and $\Omega/{\rm K}^0_{\rm S}$), and baryon-to-baryon ratios ($\Xi/\Lambda$, $\Omega/\Lambda$, and $\Omega/\Xi$) associated with jets and the underlying event were measured as a function of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV and p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The inclusive production of the same particle species and the corresponding ratios are also reported. The production of multi-strange hadrons, $\Xi^{\pm}$ and $\Omega^{\pm}$, and their associated particle ratios in jets and in the underlying event are measured for the first time. In both pp and p-Pb collisions, the baryon-to-meson and baryon-to-baryon yield ratios measured in jets differ from the inclusive particle production for low and intermediate hadron $p_{\rm T}$ (0.6$-$6 GeV/$c$). Ratios measured in the underlying event are in turn similar to those measured for inclusive particle production. In pp collisions, the particle production in jets is compared with PYTHIA 8 predictions with three colour-reconnection implementation modes. None of them fully reproduces the data in the measured hadron $p_{\rm T}$ region. The maximum deviation is observed for $\Xi^{\pm}$ and $\Omega^{\pm}$, which reaches a factor of about six. In p-Pb collisions, there is no significant event-multiplicity dependence for particle production in jets, in contrast to what is observed in the underlying event. The presented measurements provide novel constraints on hadronisation and its Monte Carlo description. In particular, they demonstrate that the fragmentation of jets alone is insufficient to describe the strange and multi-strange particle production in hadronic collisions at LHC energies.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential density of inclusive ${\rm K}_{\rm S}^{0}$ and $\Lambda$ ($\overline{\Lambda}$) in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential densities of ${\rm K}_{\rm S}^{0}$ and $\Lambda$ ($\overline{\Lambda}$) in jets and the underlying event in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential density of inclusive $\Xi^{\pm}$ in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV.
Forum