Collective behavior has been observed in high-energy heavy-ion collisions for several decades. Collectivity is driven by the high particle multiplicities that are produced in these collisions. At the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), features of collectivity have also been seen in high-multiplicity proton-proton collisions that can attain particle multiplicities comparable to peripheral Pb-Pb collisions. One of the possible signatures of collective behavior is the decrease of femtoscopic radii extracted from pion and kaon pairs emitted from high-multiplicity collisions with increasing pair transverse momentum. This decrease can be described in terms of an approximate transverse mass scaling. In the present work, femtoscopic analyses are carried out by the ALICE collaboration on charged pion and kaon pairs produced in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV from the LHC to study possible collectivity in pp collisions. The event-shape analysis method based on transverse sphericity is used to select for spherical versus jet-like events, and the effects of this selection on the femtoscopic radii for both charged pion and kaon pairs are studied. This is the first time this selection method has been applied to charged kaon pairs. An approximate transverse-mass scaling of the radii is found in all multiplicity ranges studied when the difference in the Lorentz boost for pions and kaons is taken into account. This observation does not support the hypothesis of collective expansion of hot and dense matter that should only occur in high-multiplicity events. A possible alternate explanation of the present results is based on a scenario of common emission conditions for pions and kaons in pp collisions for the multiplicity ranges studied.
CF vs qinv
CF vs qinv
CF vs qinv
Femtoscopic correlations of non-identical charged kaons ($\rm K^+ K^-$) are studied in Pb$-$Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon$-$nucleon collision $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} =2.76$ TeV by ALICE at the LHC. One-dimensional $\rm K^+ K^-$ correlation functions are analyzed in three centrality classes and eight intervals of particle-pair transverse momentum. The Lednický and Luboshitz interaction model used in the $\rm K^+ K^-$ analysis includes the final-state Coulomb interactions between kaons and the final-state interaction through $a_{0}$(980) and $f_{0}$(980) resonances. The mass of $f_{0}$(980) and coupling were extracted from the fit to $\rm K^+ K^-$ correlation functions using the femtoscopic technique for the first time. The measured mass and width of the $f_{0}$(980) resonance are consistent with other published measurements. The height of the $\phi$(1020) meson peak present in the $\rm K^+ K^-$ correlation function rapidly decreases with increasing source radius, qualitatively in agreement with an inverse volume dependence. A phenomenological fit to this trend suggests that the $\phi$(1020) meson yield is dominated by particles produced directly from the hadronization of the system. The small fraction subsequently produced by FSI could not be precisely quantified with data presented in this paper and will be assessed in future work.
K+K- correlation function for 0.3<kT<0.4 GeV/c and centrality class 0-10%
K+K- correlation function for 0.5<kT<0.6 GeV/c and centrality class 0-10%
K+K- correlation function for 0.8<kT<1.0 GeV/c and centrality class 0-10%
Two-particle transverse momentum differential correlators, recently measured in Pb--Pb collisions at energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), provide an additional tool to gain insights into particle production mechanisms and infer transport properties, such as the ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density, of the medium created in Pb-Pb collisions. The longitudinal long-range correlations and the large azimuthal anisotropy measured at low transverse momenta in small collision systems, namely pp and p-Pb, at LHC energies resemble manifestations of collective behaviour. This suggests that locally equilibrated matter may be produced in these small collision systems, similar to what is observed in Pb-Pb collisions. In this work, the same two-particle transverse momentum differential correlators are exploited in pp and p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV and $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV, respectively, to seek evidence for viscous effects. Specifically, the strength and shape of the correlators are studied as a function of the produced particle multiplicity to identify evidence for longitudinal broadening that might reveal the presence of viscous effects in these smaller systems. The measured correlators and their evolution from pp and p--Pb to Pb--Pb collisions are additionally compared to predictions from Monte Carlo event generators, and the potential presence of viscous effects is discussed.
Two-particle transverse momentum correlation $G_{2}^{\rm CD}$ for 0$-$5% multiplicity class pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7\;\text{TeV}$.
Two-particle transverse momentum correlation $G_{2}^{\rm CD}$ for 30$-$40% multiplicity class pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7\;\text{TeV}$.
Two-particle transverse momentum correlation $G_{2}^{\rm CD}$ for 70$-$80% multiplicity class pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7\;\text{TeV}$.
Three-body nuclear forces play an important role in the structure of nuclei and hypernuclei and are also incorporated in models to describe the dynamics of dense baryonic matter, such as in neutron stars. So far, only indirect measurements anchored to the binding energies of nuclei can be used to constrain the three-nucleon force, and if hyperons are considered, the scarce data on hypernuclei impose only weak constraints on the three-body forces. In this work, we present the first direct measurement of the p$-$p$-$p and p$-$p$-\Lambda$ systems in terms of three-particle mixed moments carried out for pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. Three-particle cumulants are extracted from the normalised mixed moments by applying the Kubo formalism, where the three-particle interaction contribution to these moments can be isolated after subtracting the known two-body interaction terms. A negative cumulant is found for the p$-$p$-$p system, hinting to the presence of a residual three-body effect while for p$-$p$-\Lambda$ the cumulant is consistent with zero. This measurement demonstrates the accessibility of three-baryon correlations at the LHC.
The (p-p)-p correlation function obtained using the data-driven approach
The (p-p)-$\Lambda$ correlation function obtained using the data-driven approach
The p-(p-$\Lambda$) correlation function obtained using the data-driven approach
The interaction of $\rm{K}^{-}$ with protons is characterised by the presence of several coupled channels, systems like ${\rm \overline{K}^0}$n and $\pi\Sigma$ with a similar mass and the same quantum numbers as the $\rm{K}^{-}$p state. The strengths of these couplings to the $\rm{K}^{-}$p system are of crucial importance for the understanding of the nature of the $\Lambda(1405)$ resonance and of the attractive $\rm{K}^{-}$p strong interaction. In this article, we present measurements of the $\rm{K}^{-}$p correlation functions in relative momentum space obtained in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}~=~13$ TeV, in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}~=~5.02$ TeV, and (semi)peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}~=~5.02$ TeV. The emitting source size, composed of a core radius anchored to the $\rm{K}^{+}$p correlation and of a resonance halo specific to each particle pair, varies between 1 and 2 fm in these collision systems. The strength and the effects of the ${\rm \overline{K}^0}$n and $\pi\Sigma$ inelastic channels on the measured $\rm{K}^{-}$p correlation function are investigated in the different colliding systems by comparing the data with state-of-the-art models of chiral potentials. A novel approach to determine the conversion weights $\omega$, necessary to quantify the amount of produced inelastic channels in the correlation function, is presented. In this method, particle yields are estimated from thermal model predictions, and their kinematic distribution from blast-wave fits to measured data. The comparison of chiral potentials to the measured $\rm{K}^{-}$p interaction indicates that, while the $\pi\Sigma-\rm{K}^{-}$p dynamics is well reproduced by the model, the coupling to the ${\rm \overline{K}^0}$n channel in the model is currently underestimated.
K$^+$p (K$^+$p $\oplus$ K$^-\overline{\mathrm p}$) correlation function in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV.
K$^+$p (K$^+$p $\oplus$ K$^-\overline{\mathrm p}$) correlation function in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm {NN}}}=5.02 $ TeV (0-20%).
K$^+$p (K$^+$p $\oplus$ K$^-\overline{\mathrm p}$) correlation function in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV (20-40%).
The first experimental information on the strong interaction between $\Lambda$ and $\Xi^-$ strange baryons is presented in this Letter. The correlation function of $\Lambda-\Xi^-$ and $\overline{\Lambda}-\overline{\Xi}^{+}$ pairs produced in high-multiplicity proton-proton (pp) collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV at the LHC is measured as a function of the relative momentum of the pair. The femtoscopy method is used to calculate the correlation function, which is then compared with theoretical expectations obtained using a meson exchange model, chiral effective field theory, and Lattice QCD calculations close to the physical point. Data support predictions of small scattering parameters while discarding versions with large ones, thus suggesting a weak $\Lambda-\Xi^{-}$ interaction. The limited statistical significance of the data does not yet allow one to constrain the effects of coupled channels like $\Sigma-\Xi$ and N$-\Omega$.
The $\Lambda$--$\Xi^{-}$ $\oplus$ $\overline{\Lambda}$--$\overline{\Xi}^{+}$ correlation function and the $\lambda$ parameters with the parametrization of the background contribution $C_\mathrm{mis.}(k^*)$
Angular correlations of heavy-flavour and charged particles in high-energy proton-proton collisions are sensitive to the production mechanisms of heavy quarks and to their fragmentation as well as hadronisation processes. The measurement of the azimuthal-correlation function of prompt D mesons with charged particles in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV with the ALICE detector is reported, considering D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, and D$^{*+}$ mesons in the transverse-momentum interval $3 < p_{\rm T} < 36$ GeV/$c$ at midrapidity ($|y| < 0.5$), and charged particles with $p_{\rm T} > 0.3$ GeV/$c$ and pseudorapidity $|\eta| < 0.8$. This measurement has an improved precision and provides an extended transverse-momentum coverage compared to previous ALICE measurements at lower energies. The study is also performed as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity, showing no modifications of the correlation function with multiplicity within uncertainties. The properties and the transverse-momentum evolution of the near- and away-side correlation peaks are studied and compared with predictions from various Monte Carlo event generators. Among those considered, PYTHIA8 and POWHEG+PYTHIA8 provide the best description of the measured observables. The obtained results can provide guidance on tuning the generators.
Comparison of the azimuthal-correlation distributions of D mesons (average of D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, and D$^{*+}$) with $3 < p_{\rm T} < 5$ GeV/$c$ and charged particles with $0.3 < p_{\rm T} < 1$ GeV/$c$, in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = $5, 7, and 13 TeV, after baseline subtraction. Rapidity range for the D mesons is $|y^{\rm D}_{\rm cms}| < 0.5$. Correlations are integrated for $|\Delta\eta|=|\eta_{\rm ch}-\eta_{\rm D}| < 1$. The azimuthal-correlation distributions are reported in the range $0 < \Delta\varphi < \pi$.
Comparison of the azimuthal-correlation distributions of D mesons (average of D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, and D$^{*+}$) with $8 < p_{\rm T} < 16$ GeV/$c$ and charged particles with $0.3 < p_{\rm T} < 1$ GeV/$c$, in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = $5, 7, and 13 TeV, after baseline subtraction. Rapidity range for the D mesons is $|y^{\rm D}_{\rm cms}| < 0.5$. Correlations are integrated for $|\Delta\eta|=|\eta_{\rm ch}-\eta_{\rm D}| < 1$. The azimuthal-correlation distributions are reported in the range $0 < \Delta\varphi < \pi$.
Comparison of the azimuthal-correlation distributions of D mesons (average of D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, and D$^{*+}$) with $16 < p_{\rm T} < 24$ GeV/$c$ and charged particles with $0.3 < p_{\rm T} < 1$ GeV/$c$, in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = $5, 7, and 13 TeV, after baseline subtraction. Rapidity range for the D mesons is $|y^{\rm D}_{\rm cms}| < 0.5$. Correlations are integrated for $|\Delta\eta|=|\eta_{\rm ch}-\eta_{\rm D}| < 1$. The azimuthal-correlation distributions are reported in the range $0 < \Delta\varphi < \pi$.
First measurements of balance functions (BFs) of all combinations of identified charged hadron $(\pi,\rm K,\rm p)$ pairs in Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV recorded by the ALICE detector are presented. The BF measurements are carried out as two-dimensional differential correlators versus the relative rapidity ($\Delta y$) and azimuthal angle ($\Delta\varphi$) of hadron pairs, and studied as a function of collision centrality. The $\Delta\varphi$ dependence of BFs is expected to be sensitive to the light quark diffusivity in the quark$-$gluon plasma. While the BF azimuthal widths of all pairs substantially decrease from peripheral to central collisions, the longitudinal widths exhibit mixed behaviors: BFs of $\pi\pi$ and cross-species pairs narrow significantly in more central collisions, whereas those of $\rm KK$ and $\rm pp$ are found to be independent of collision centrality. This dichotomy is qualitatively consistent with the presence of strong radial flow effects and the existence of two stages of quark production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Finally, the first measurements of the collision centrality evolution of BF integrals are presented, with the observation that charge balancing fractions are nearly independent of collision centrality in Pb$-$Pb collisions. Overall, the results presented provide new and challenging constraints for theoretical models of hadron production and transport in relativistic heavy-ion collisions.
Balance function $B^{\pi\pi}$ measured in semicentral Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76\;\text{TeV}$ ($\pi,{\rm K}: 0.2 \leq p_{\rm T} \leq 2.0\;{\rm GeV}/c$; ${\rm p}: 0.5 \leq p_{\rm T} \leq 2.5\;{\rm GeV}/c$).
Balance function $B^{{\rm KK}}$ measured in semicentral Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76\;\text{TeV}$ ($\pi,{\rm K}: 0.2 \leq p_{\rm T} \leq 2.0\;{\rm GeV}/c$; ${\rm p}: 0.5 \leq p_{\rm T} \leq 2.5\;{\rm GeV}/c$).
Balance function $B^{{\rm p\bar{p}}}$ measured in semicentral Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76\;\text{TeV}$ ($\pi,{\rm K}: 0.2 \leq p_{\rm T} \leq 2.0\;{\rm GeV}/c$; ${\rm p}: 0.5 \leq p_{\rm T} \leq 2.5\;{\rm GeV}/c$).
In quantum scattering processes between two particles, aspects characterizing the strong and Coulomb forces can be observed in kinematic distributions of the particle pairs. The sensitivity to the interaction potential reaches a maximum at low relative momentum and vanishing distance between the two particles. Ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions at the LHC provide an abundant source of many hadron species and can be employed as a measurement method of scattering parameters that is complementary to scattering experiments. This study confirms that momentum correlations of particles produced in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC provide an accurate measurement of kaon-proton scattering parameters at low relative momentum, allowing precise access to the $ {K}^{-} p\rightarrow {K}^{-} p$ process. This work also validates the femtoscopic measurement in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions as an alternative to scattering experiments and a complementary tool to the study of exotic atoms with comparable precision. In this work, the first femtoscopic measurement of momentum correlations of ${K}^{-} p\ ({K}^{+}\overline{p})$ and ${K}^{+}p ({K}^{-}\overline{p})$ pairs in Pb-Pb collisions at centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV registered by the ALICE experiment is reported. The components of the ${K}^{-} p$ complex scattering length are extracted and found to be $\Re f_0=-0.91\pm~{0.03}$(stat)$^{+0.17}_{-0.03}$(syst) and $\Im f_0 = 0.92\pm~{0.05}$(stat)$^{+0.12}_{-0.33}$(syst). The results are compared with chiral effective field theory predictions as well as with existing data from dedicated scattering and exotic kaonic atom experiments.
K p (opposite charge) correlation function for centrality 0-5% from Pb-Pb collisions at 5020 GeV
K p (same charge) correlation function for centrality 0-5% from Pb-Pb collisions at 5020 GeV
K p (opposite charge) correlation function for centrality 5-10% from Pb-Pb collisions at 5020 GeV
This Letter presents the first experimental evidence of the attractive strong interaction between a proton and a $\phi$ meson. The result is obtained from two-particle correlations of combined p-$\phi \oplus \overline{\rm {p}}$-$\phi$ pairs measured in high-multiplicity pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}~=~13$ TeV by the ALICE collaboration. The spin-averaged scattering length and effective range of the p-$\phi$ interaction are extracted from the fully corrected correlation function employing the Lednický-Lyuboshits approach. In particular, the imaginary part of the scattering length vanishes within uncertainties, indicating that inelastic processes do not play a prominent role for the p-$\phi$ interaction. These data demonstrate that the interaction is dominated by elastic p-$\phi$ scattering. Furthermore, an analysis employing phenomenological Gaussian- and Yukawa-type potentials is conducted. Under the assumption of the latter, the N-$\phi$ coupling constant is found to be $g_{\rm{N}-\phi} = 0.14\pm 0.03\,(\mathrm{stat.})\pm 0.02\,(\mathrm{syst.})$. This work provides valuable experimental input to accomplish a self-consistent description of the N-$\phi$ interaction, which is particularly relevant for the more fundamental studies on partial restoration of chiral symmetry in nuclear medium.
Measured $\mathrm{p}-\phi$ $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}-\phi$ correlation function.
Genuine $\mathrm{p}-\phi$ $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}-\phi$ correlation function.
The interaction of $\Lambda$ and $\Sigma$ hyperons (Y) with nucleons (N) is strongly influenced by the coupled-channel dynamics. Due to the small mass difference of the $\rm N \Lambda$ and $\rm N \Sigma$ systems, the sizeable coupling strength of the $\rm N \Sigma\leftrightarrow N \Lambda$ processes constitutes a crucial element in the determination of the N$\Lambda$ interaction. In this letter we present the most precise measurements on the interaction of p$\Lambda$ pairs, from zero relative momentum up to the opening of the $\rm N \Sigma$ channel. The correlation function in the relative momentum space for $\mathrm{p}\Lambda\oplus\overline{\mathrm{p}}\overline{\Lambda}$ pairs measured in high-multiplicity triggered pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}~=~13$ TeV at the LHC is reported. The opening of the inelastic N$\Sigma$ channels is visible in the extracted correlation function as a cusp-like structure occurring at relative momentum $k^{*}$ = 289 MeV/$c$. This represents the first direct experimental observation of the $\rm N \Sigma\rightarrow N \Lambda$ coupled channel in the p$\Lambda$ system. The correlation function is compared with recent chiral effective field theory calculations, based on different strengths of the $\rm N \Sigma\leftrightarrow N \Lambda$ transition potential. A weaker coupling, as possibly supported by the present measurement, would require a more repulsive three-body NN$\Lambda$ interaction for a proper description of the $\Lambda$ in-medium properties, which has implications on the nuclear equation of state and for the presence of hyperons inside neutron stars.
p-$\Lambda$ correlation function in high-multiplicity pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV.
One of the key challenges for nuclear physics today is to understand from first principles the effective interaction between hadrons with different quark content. First successes have been achieved using techniques that solve the dynamics of quarks and gluons on discrete space-time lattices. Experimentally, the dynamics of the strong interaction have been studied by scattering hadrons off each other. Such scattering experiments are difficult or impossible for unstable hadrons and so high-quality measurements exist only for hadrons containing up and down quarks. Here we demonstrate that measuring correlations in the momentum space between hadron pairs produced in ultrarelativistic proton-proton collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) provides a precise method with which to obtain the missing information on the interaction dynamics between any pair of unstable hadrons. Specifically, we discuss the case of the interaction of baryons containing strange quarks (hyperons). We demonstrate how, using precision measurements of p-omega baryon correlations, the effect of the strong interaction for this hadron-hadron pair can be studied with precision similar to, and compared with, predictions from lattice calculations. The large number of hyperons identified in proton-proton collisions at the LHC, together with an accurate modelling of the small (approximately one femtometre) inter-particle distance and exact predictions for the correlation functions, enables a detailed determination of the short-range part of the nucleon-hyperon interaction.
The p--$\Xi^{-}$ $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}$--$\overline{\Xi}^{+}$ correlation function.
The p--$\Xi^{-}$ $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}$--$\overline{\Xi}^{+}$ correlation function.
The p--$\Omega^{-}$ $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}$--$\overline{\Omega}^{+}$ correlation function.
The first measurements of the scattering parameters of $\Lambda$K pairs in all three charge combinations ($\Lambda$K$^{+}$, $\Lambda$K$^{-}$, and $\Lambda\mathrm{K^{0}_{S}}$) are presented. The results are achieved through a femtoscopic analysis of $\Lambda$K correlations in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV recorded by ALICE at the LHC. The femtoscopic correlations result from strong final-state interactions, and are fit with a parametrization allowing for both the characterization of the pair emission source and the measurement of the scattering parameters for the particle pairs. Extensive studies with the THERMINATOR 2 event generator provide a good description of the non-femtoscopic background, which results mainly from collective effects, with unprecedented precision. Furthermore, together with HIJING simulations, this model is used to account for contributions from residual correlations induced by feed-down from particle decays. The extracted scattering parameters indicate that the strong force is repulsive in the $\Lambda\rm{K}^{+}$ interaction and attractive in the $\Lambda\rm{K}^{-}$ interaction. The data hint that the and $\Lambda\rm{K}^{0}_{S}$ interaction is attractive, however the uncertainty of the result does not permit such a decisive conclusion. The results suggest an effect arising either from different quark-antiquark interactions between the pairs ($\rm s\overline{s}$ in $\Lambda$K$^{+}$ and $\rm u\overline{u}$ in $\Lambda$K$^{-}$) or from different net strangeness for each system (S = 0 for $\Lambda$K$^{+}$, and S = $-2$ for $\Lambda$K$^{-}$). Finally, the $\Lambda$K systems exhibit source radii larger than expected from extrapolation from identical particle femtoscopic studies. This effect is interpreted as resulting from the separation in space-time of the single-particle $\Lambda$ and K source distributions.
Invariant mass distributions in the 0--10\% centrality interval of (a) p$\uppi^{-}$ pairs showing the $\Lambda$ peak for V$^{0}$ candidates.
Invariant mass distributions in the 0--10\% centrality interval of $\uppi^{+}\uppi^{-}$ pairs showing the $\mathrm{K^{0}_{S}}$ peak for V$^{0}$ candidates.
Measured correlation function for the $\Lambda\mathrm{K^{+}}\oplus\overline{\Lambda}\mathrm{K^{-}}$ system in the 0--10\% centrality interval.
This Letter presents the first direct investigation of the p-$\Sigma^{0}$ interaction, using the femtoscopy technique in high-multiplicity pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV measured by the ALICE detector. The $\Sigma^{0}$ is reconstructed via the decay channel to $\Lambda \gamma$, and the subsequent decay of $\Lambda$ to p$\pi^-$. The photon is detected via the conversion in material to e$^{+}$e$^{-}$ pairs exploiting the unique capability of the ALICE detector to measure electrons at low transverse momenta. The measured p-$\Sigma^{0}$ correlation indicates a shallow strong interaction. The comparison of the data to several theoretical predictions obtained employing the $Correlation~Analysis~Tool~using~the~Schr\"odinger~Equation$ (CATS) and the Lednick\'y-Lyuboshits approach shows that the current experimental precision does not yet allow to discriminate between different models, as it is the case for the available scattering and hypernuclei data. Nevertheless, the p-$\Sigma^{0}$ correlation function is found to be sensitive to the strong interaction, and driven by the interplay of the different spin and isospin channels. This pioneering study demonstrates the feasibility of a femtoscopic measurement in the p-$\Sigma^{0}$ channel and with the expected larger data samples in LHC Run 3 and Run 4, the p-$\Sigma^{0}$ interaction will be constrained with high precision.
Measured p$-$p $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}-\overline{\mathrm{p}}$ correlation function.
Measured correlation function of p$-\Sigma^{0}$p $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}-\overline{\Sigma^{0}}$
This paper presents the first measurements of the charge independent (CI) and charge dependent (CD) two-particle transverse momentum correlators $G_{2}^{\rm CI}$ and $G_{2}^{\rm CD}$ in Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\text{NN}}} = 2.76\;\text{\TeVe}$ by the ALICE collaboration. The two-particle transverse momentum correlator $G_{2}$ was introduced as a measure of the momentum current transfer between neighbouring system cells. The correlators are measured as a function of pair separation in pseudorapidity ($\Delta \eta$) and azimuth ($\Delta \varphi$) and as a function of collision centrality. From peripheral to central collisions, the correlator $G_{2}^{\rm CI}$ exhibits a longitudinal broadening while undergoing a monotonic azimuthal narrowing. By contrast, $G_{2}^{\rm CD}$ exhibits a narrowing along both dimensions. These features are not reproduced by models such as HIJING and AMPT. However, the observed narrowing of the correlators from peripheral to central collisions is expected to result from the stronger transverse flow profiles produced in more central collisions and the longitudinal broadening is predicted to be sensitive to momentum currents and the shear viscosity per unit of entropy density $\eta/s$ of the matter produced in the collisions. The observed broadening is found to be consistent with the hypothesized lower bound of $\eta/s$ and is in qualitative agreement with values obtained from anisotropic flow measurements.
Two-particle transverse momentum correlation $G_{2}^{\rm CI}$ for central (0-5%) Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76\;\text{TeV}$.
Two-particle transverse momentum correlation $G_{2}^{\rm CI}$ for semi-central (30-40%) Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76\;\text{TeV}$.
Two-particle transverse momentum correlation $G_{2}^{\rm CI}$ for perippheral (70-80%) Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76\;\text{TeV}$.
The measurement of the azimuthal-correlation function of prompt D mesons with charged particles in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 TeV and p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC is reported. The D$^{\rm 0}$, D$^{\rm +}$, and D$^{\rm *+}$ mesons, together with their charge conjugates, were reconstructed at midrapidity in the transverse momentum interval 3 < $p_{\rm T}$ < 24 GeV/c and correlated with charged particles having $p_{\rm T}$ > 0.3 GeV/c and pseudorapidity $|\eta| <$ 0.8. The properties of the correlation peaks appearing in the near- and away-side regions (for $\Delta \varphi \approx$ 0 and $\Delta \varphi \approx \pi$, respectively) were extracted via a fit to the azimuthal correlation functions. The shape of the correlation functions and the near- and away-side peak features are found to be consistent in pp and p-Pb collisions, showing no modifications due to nuclear effects within uncertainties. The results are compared with predictions from Monte Carlo simulations performed with the PYTHIA, POWHEG+PYTHIA, HERWIG, and EPOS 3 event generators.
Comparison of the azimuthal-correlation distributions of D mesons (average of D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, D$^{*+}$) with $3 < p_{\rm T} < 5$ GeV/$c$ and charged particles with $p_{\rm T} > 0.3$ GeV/$c$, in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV and p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV, after baseline subtraction. Rapidity range for the D mesons are $|y^{\rm D}_{\rm cms}| < 0.5$ in pp, $-0.96 < y^{\rm D}_{\rm cms} < 0.04$ in p-Pb. Correlations are integrated for $|\Delta\eta|=|\eta_{\rm ch}-\eta_{\rm D}| < 1$. The azimuthal-correlation distributions are reported in the range $0 < \Delta\varphi < \pi$.
Comparison of the azimuthal-correlation distributions of D mesons (average of D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, D$^{*+}$) with $5 < p_{\rm T} < 8$ GeV/$c$ and charged particles with $p_{\rm T} > 0.3$ GeV/$c$, in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV and p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV, after baseline subtraction. Rapidity range for the D mesons are $|y^{\rm D}_{\rm cms}| < 0.5$ in pp, $-0.96 < y^{\rm D}_{\rm cms} < 0.04$ in p-Pb. Correlations are integrated for $|\Delta\eta|=|\eta_{\rm ch}-\eta_{\rm D}| < 1$. The azimuthal-correlation distributions are reported in the range $0 < \Delta\varphi < \pi$.
Comparison of the azimuthal-correlation distributions of D mesons (average of D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, D$^{*+}$) with $8 < p_{\rm T} < 16$ GeV/$c$ and charged particles with $p_{\rm T} > 0.3$ GeV/$c$, in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV and p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV, after baseline subtraction. Rapidity range for the D mesons are $|y^{\rm D}_{\rm cms}| < 0.5$ in pp, $-0.96 < y^{\rm D}_{\rm cms} < 0.04$ in p-Pb. Correlations are integrated for $|\Delta\eta|=|\eta_{\rm ch}-\eta_{\rm D}| < 1$. The azimuthal-correlation distributions are reported in the range $0 < \Delta\varphi < \pi$.
The study of the strength and behaviour of the antikaon-nucleon ($\mathrm{\overline{K}N}$) interaction constitutes one of the key focuses of the strangeness sector in low-energy Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). In this letter a unique high-precision measurement of the strong interaction between kaons and protons, close and above the kinematic threshold, is presented. The femtoscopic measurements of the correlation function at low pair-frame relative momentum of (K$^+$ p $\oplus$ K$^-$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}$) and (K$^-$ p $\oplus$ K$^+$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}$) pairs measured in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 5, 7 and 13 TeV are reported. A structure observed around a relative momentum of 58 MeV/$c$ in the measured correlation function of (K$^-$ p $\oplus$ K$^+$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}$) with a significance of 4.4. $\sigma$ constitutes the first experimental evidence for the opening of the $(\mathrm{\overline{K}^0 n} \oplus \mathrm{K^0 \overline{n}})$ isospin breaking channel due to the mass difference between charged and neutral kaons. The measured correlation functions have been compared to J\"{u}lich and Kyoto models in addition to the Coulomb potential. The high-precision data at low relative momenta presented in this work prove femtoscopy to be a powerful complementary tool to scattering experiments and provide new constraints above the $\mathrm{\overline{K}N}$ threshold for low-energy QCD chiral models.
K-p correlation function in p-p collisions at $\sqrt{s}=5$ TeV.
K-p correlation function in p-p collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV.
K-p correlation function in p-p collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV.
This work presents new constraints on the existence and the binding energy of a possible $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ bound state, the H-dibaryon, derived from $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ femtoscopic measurements by the ALICE collaboration. The results are obtained from a new measurement using the femtoscopy technique in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV and p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV, combined with previously published results from p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV. The $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ scattering parameter space, spanned by the inverse scattering length $f_0^{-1}$ and the effective range $d_0$, is constrained by comparing the measured $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ correlation function with calculations obtained within the Lednicky model. The data are compatible with hypernuclei results and lattice computations, both predicting a shallow attractive interaction, and permit to test different theoretical approaches describing the $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ interaction. The region in the $(f_0^{-1},d_0)$ plane which would accommodate a $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ bound state is substantially restricted compared to previous studies. The binding energy of the possible $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ bound state is estimated within an effective-range expansion approach and is found to be $B_{\Lambda\Lambda}=3.2^{+1.6}_{-2.4}\mathrm{(stat)}^{+1.8}_{-1.0}\mathrm{(syst)}$ MeV.
p-p correlation function in p-p collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV.
$\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ correlation function in p-p collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV.
$\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ correlation function in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV.
This work presents the first experimental observation of the attractive strong interaction between a proton and a multi-strange baryon (hyperon) $\Xi^-$. The result is extracted from two-particle correlations of combined $\rm{p}-\Xi^{-}$$\oplus$$\rm{\bar{p}}-\bar{\Xi}^{+}$ pairs measured in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV at the LHC with ALICE. The measured correlation function is compared with the prediction obtained assuming only an attractive Coulomb interaction and a standard deviation in the range $[3.6,5.3]$ is found. Since the measured $\rm{p}-\Xi^{-}$$\oplus$$\rm{\bar{p}}-\bar{\Xi}^{+}$ correlation is significantly enhanced with respect to the Coulomb prediction, the presence of an additional, strong, attractive interaction is evident. The data are compatible with recent lattice calculations by the HAL-QCD Collaboration, with a standard deviation in the range $ [1.8,3.7]$. The lattice potential predicts a shallow repulsive $\Xi^-$ interaction within pure neutron matter at saturation densities and this implies stiffer equations of state for neutron-rich matter including hyperons. Implications of the strong interaction for the modeling of neutron stars are discussed.
The p$-$p $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}-\overline{\mathrm{p}}$ correlation function.
The p$-\Xi^{-}$ $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}-\overline{\Xi}^{-}$ correlation function.
The correlations of identical charged kaons were measured in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV by the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The femtoscopic invariant radii and correlation strengths were extracted from one-dimensional kaon correlation functions and were compared with those obtained in pp and Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV and $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV, respectively. The presented results also complement the identical-pion femtoscopic data published by the ALICE collaboration. The extracted radii increase with increasing charged-particle multiplicity and decrease with increasing pair transverse momentum. At comparable multiplicities, the radii measured in p-Pb collisions are found to be close to those observed in pp collisions. The obtained femtoscopic parameters are reproduced by the EPOS 3 hadronic interaction model and disfavor models with large initial size or strong collective expansion at low multiplicities.
Correlation function as a function of pair relative momentum for 0-20% multiplicity class and pair transverse momentum range (0.2-0.5) GeV/c.
Correlation function as a function of pair relative momentum for 0-20% multiplicity class and pair transverse momentum range (0.5-1.0) GeV/c.
Correlation function as a function of pair relative momentum for 20-40% multiplicity class and pair transverse momentum range (0.2-0.5) GeV/c.
Two-particle correlation functions were measured for $\rm p\overline{p}$, $\rm p\overline{\Lambda}$, $\rm \overline{p}\Lambda$, and $\Lambda\overline{\Lambda}$ pairs in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV and $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV recorded by the ALICE detector. From a simultaneous fit to all obtained correlation functions, real and imaginary components of the scattering lengths, as well as the effective ranges, were extracted for combined $\rm p\overline{\Lambda}$ and $\rm \overline{p}\Lambda$ pairs and, for the first time, for $\Lambda\overline{\Lambda}$ pairs. Effective averaged scattering parameters for heavier baryon-antibaryon pairs, not measured directly, are also provided. The results reveal similarly strong interaction between measured baryon-antibaryon pairs, suggesting that they all annihilate in the same manner at the same pair relative momentum $k^{*}$. Moreover, the reported significant non-zero imaginary part and negative real part of the scattering length provide motivation for future baryon-antibaryon bound state searches.
p pbar correlation function for centrality 10-20% from Pb-Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV
p pbar correlation function for centrality 10-20% from Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV
p LambdaBar plus pbar Lambda correlation function for centrality 10-20% from Pb-Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV
We present the first measurements of femtoscopic correlations between the K$^0_{\rm S}$ and K$^{\rm \pm}$ particles in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV measured by the ALICE experiment. The observed femtoscopic correlations are consistent with final-state interactions proceeding solely via the $a_0(980)$ resonance. The extracted kaon source radius and correlation strength parameters for K$^0_{\rm S}$K$^{\rm -}$ are found to be equal within the experimental uncertainties to those for K$^0_{\rm S}$K$^{\rm +}$. Results of the present study are compared with those from identical-kaon femtoscopic studies also performed with pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV by ALICE and with a K$^0_{\rm S}$K$^{\rm \pm}$ measurement in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV. Combined with the Pb-Pb results, our pp analysis is found to be compatible with the interpretation of the $a_0(980)$ having a tetraquark structure instead of that of a diquark.
Raw K0s K+ correlation function for all kT
Raw K0s K+ correlation function for kT < 0.85 GeV/c
Raw K0s K+ correlation function for kT > 0.85 GeV/c
We report on the first femtoscopic measurement of baryon pairs, such as p-p, p-$\Lambda$ and $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$, measured by ALICE at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV. This study demonstrates the feasibility of such measurements in pp collisions at ultrarelativistic energies. The femtoscopy method is employed to constrain the hyperon-nucleon and hyperon-hyperon interactions, which are still rather poorly understood. A new method to evaluate the influence of residual correlations induced by the decays of resonances and experimental impurities is hereby presented. The p-p, p-$\Lambda$ and $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ correlation functions were fitted simultaneously with the help of a new tool developed specifically for the femtoscopy analysis in small colliding systems 'Correlation Analysis Tool using the Schr\"odinger Equation' (CATS). Within the assumption that in pp collisions the three particle pairs originate from a common source, its radius is found to be equal to $r_{0} = 1.144\pm0.019$ (stat) $^{+0.069}_{-0.012}$ (syst) fm. The sensitivity of the measured p-$\Lambda$ correlation is tested against different scattering parameters which are defined by the interaction among the two particles, but the statistics is not sufficient yet to discriminate among different models. The measurement of the $\Lambda$-$\Lambda$ correlation function constrains the phase space spanned by the effective range and scattering length of the strong interaction. Discrepancies between the measured scattering parameters and the resulting correlation functions at LHC and RHIC energies are discussed in the context of various models.
The p$-$p $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}-\overline{\mathrm{p}}$ correlation function.
The p$-\Lambda$ $\oplus$ $\overline{\mathrm{p}}-\overline{\Lambda}$ correlation function.
The $\Lambda-\Lambda$ $\oplus$ $\overline{\Lambda}-\overline{\Lambda}$ correlation function.
We present the results of three-dimensional femtoscopic analyses for charged and neutral kaons recorded by ALICE in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV. Femtoscopy is used to measure the space-time characteristics of particle production from the effects of quantum statistics and final-state interactions in two-particle correlations. Kaon femtoscopy is an important supplement to that of pions because it allows one to distinguish between different model scenarios working equally well for pions. In particular, we compare the measured 3D kaon radii with a purely hydrodynamical calculation and a model where the hydrodynamic phase is followed by a hadronic rescattering stage. The former predicts an approximate transverse mass ($m_{\mathrm{T}}$) scaling of source radii obtained from pion and kaon correlations. This $m_{\mathrm{T}}$ scaling appears to be broken in our data, which indicates the importance of the hadronic rescattering phase at LHC energies. A $k_{\mathrm{T}}$ scaling of pion and kaon source radii is observed instead. The time of maximal emission of the system is estimated using the three-dimensional femtoscopic analysis for kaons. The measured emission time is larger than that of pions. Our observation is well supported by the hydrokinetic model predictions.
Out projection of raw 3D LCMS K+- K+- correlation function for 0.2 < kT < 0.4 GeV/c bin.
Side projection of raw 3D LCMS K+- K+- correlation function for 0.2 < kT < 0.4 GeV/c bin
Long projection of raw 3D LCMS K+- K+- correlation function for 0.2 < kT < 0.4 GeV/c bin
We present the first ever measurements of femtoscopic correlations between the K$^0_{\rm S}$ and K$^{\rm \pm}$ particles. The analysis was performed on the data from Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV measured by the ALICE experiment. The observed femtoscopic correlations are consistent with final-state interactions proceeding via the $a_0(980)$ resonance. The extracted kaon source radius and correlation strength parameters for K$^0_{\rm S}$K$^{\rm -}$ are found to be equal within the experimental uncertainties to those for K$^0_{\rm S}$K$^{\rm +}$. Comparing the results of the present study with those from published identical-kaon femtoscopic studies by ALICE, mass and coupling parameters for the $a_0$ resonance are constrained. Our results are also compatible with the interpretation of the $a_0$ having a tetraquark structure over that of a diquark.
Raw K0s K+ correlation function for all kT bin
Raw K0s K+ correlation function for kT < 0.675 GeV/c bin
Raw K0s K+ correlation function for kT > 0.675 GeV/c bin
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