The inclusive production rate of neutral pions in the rapidity range greater than $y=8.9$ has been measured by the Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment during LHC $\sqrt{s}=7$\,TeV proton-proton collision operation in early 2010. This paper presents the transverse momentum spectra of the neutral pions. The spectra from two independent LHCf detectors are consistent with each other and serve as a cross check of the data. The transverse momentum spectra are also compared with the predictions of several hadronic interaction models that are often used for high energy particle physics and for modeling ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray showers.
The Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment is designed to use the LHC to verify the hadronic-interaction models used in cosmic-ray physics. Forward baryon production is one of the crucial points to understand the development of cosmic-ray showers. We report the neutron-energy spectra for LHC $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV proton--proton collisions with the pseudo-rapidity $\eta$ ranging from 8.81 to 8.99, from 8.99 to 9.22, and from 10.76 to infinity. The measured energy spectra obtained from the two independent calorimeters of Arm1 and Arm2 show the same characteristic feature before unfolding the difference in the detector responses. We unfolded the measured spectra by using the multidimensional unfolding method based on Bayesian theory, and the unfolded spectra were compared with current hadronic-interaction models. The QGSJET II-03 model predicts a high neutron production rate at the highest pseudo-rapidity range similar to our results and the DPMJET 3.04 model describes our results well at the lower pseudo-rapidity ranges. However no model perfectly explains the experimental results in the whole pseudo-rapidity range. The experimental data indicate the most abundant neutron production rate relative to the photon production, which does not agree with predictions of the models.
Charm production at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV is studied with the LHCb detector. The decays D0 -> K- pi+, D+ -> K- pi+ pi+, D*+ -> D0(K- pi+) pi+, D_s+ -> phi(K- K+) pi+, Lambda_c+ -> p K- pi+, and their charge conjugates are analysed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 15 nb^{-1}. Differential cross-sections dsigma/dp_T are measured for prompt production of the five charmed hadron species in bins of transverse momentum and rapidity in the region 0 < p_T < 8 GeV/c and 2.0 < y < 4.5. Theoretical predictions are compared to the measured differential cross-sections. The integrated cross-sections of the charm hadrons are computed in the above p_T-y range, and their ratios are reported. A combination of the five integrated cross-section measurements gives sigma(c\bar{c})_{p_T < 8 GeV/c, 2.0 < y < 4.5} = 1419 +/- 12 (stat) +/- 116 (syst) +/- 65 (frag) microbarn, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the fragmentation functions.
The production of Upsilon(1S), Upsilon(2S) and Upsilon(3S) mesons in proton-proton collisions at the centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s)=7 TeV is studied with the LHCb detector. The analysis is based on a data sample of 25 pb-1 collected at the Large Hadron Collider. The Upsilon mesons are reconstructed in the decay mode Upsilon -> mu+ mu- and the signal yields are extracted from a fit to the mu+ mu- invariant mass distributions. The differential production cross-sections times dimuon branching fractions are measured as a function of the Upsilon transverse momentum pT and rapidity y, over the range pT < 15 GeV/c and 2.0 < y < 4.5. The cross-sections times branching fractions, integrated over these kinematic ranges, are measured to be sigma(pp -> Upsilon(1S) X) x B(Upsilon(1S)->mu+ mu-) = 2.29 {\pm} 0.01 {\pm} 0.10 -0.37 +0.19 nb, sigma(pp -> Upsilon(2S) X) x B(Upsilon(2S)->mu+ mu-) = 0.562 {\pm} 0.007 {\pm} 0.023 -0.092 +0.048 nb, sigma(pp -> Upsilon(3S) X) x B(Upsilon(3S)->mu+ mu-) = 0.283 {\pm} 0.005 {\pm} 0.012 -0.048 +0.025 nb, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third is due to the unknown polarisation of the three Upsilon states.
The ALICE experiment has measured low-mass dimuon production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV in the dimuon rapidity region 2.5<y<4. The observed dimuon mass spectrum is described as a superposition of resonance decays ($\eta$, $\rho$, $\omega$, $\eta^{'}$, $\phi$) into muons and semi-leptonic decays of charmed mesons. The measured production cross sections for $\omega$ and $\phi$ are $\sigma_\omega$ (1<$p_{\rm T}$<5 GeV/$c$,2.5<y<4) = 5.28 $\pm$ 0.54 (stat) $\pm$ 0.50 (syst) mb and $\sigma_\phi$(1<$p_{\rm T}$<5 GeV/$c$,2.5<y<4)=0.940 $\pm$ 0.084 (stat) $\pm$ 0.078 (syst) mb. The differential cross sections $d^2\sigma/dy dp_{\rm T}$ are extracted as a function of $p_{\rm T}$ for $\omega$ and $\phi$. The ratio between the $\rho$ and $\omega$ cross section is obtained. Results for the $\phi$ are compared with other measurements at the same energy and with predictions by models.
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.
The production of $J/\psi$ mesons in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$= 7 tev is studied with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The differential cross-section for prompt $J/\psi$ production is measured as a function of the $J/\psi$ transverse momentum p_{\rm T}\ and rapidity $y$ in the fiducial region $p_{\rm T}\in[0;14]$ GeV/c and $y\in[2.0;4.5]$. The differential cross-section and fraction of \j psi\ from $b$-hadron decays are also measured in the same p_{\rm T}\ and $y$ range s. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminos ity of 5.2 pb$^{-1}$. The measured cross-sections integrated over the fiducial region are $10.52\pm 0. 04\pm 1.40^{+1.64}_{-2.20}\mu b$ for $\mathrm{prompt}~J/\psi$ production and $1.14 \pm 0. 01\pm 0.16 \mu b$ for $J/\psi$ from $b$-hadron decays, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The $\mathrm{prompt}~J/\psi$ production cross-section is obtained assuming no $J/\psi$ polarisation and the third error indicates the acceptance uncertainty due to this assumption.
The production of $J/\psi$ pairs in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV has been observed using an integrated luminosity of $37.5 pb^{-1}$ collected with the LHCb detector. The production cross-section for pairs with both \jpsi in the rapidity range $2<y^{J/\psi}<4.5$ and transverse momentum $p_{T}^{J/\psi}<10 GeV/c$ is $$ \sigma^{J/\psi J/\psi} = 5.1\pm1.0\pm1.1 nb,$$ where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.
The energy flow created in pp collisions at is studied within the pseudorapidity range 1.9<η<4.9 with data collected by the LHCb experiment. The measurements are performed for inclusive minimum-bias interactions, hard scattering processes and events with an enhanced or suppressed diffractive contribution. The results are compared to predictions given by Pythia-based and cosmic-ray event generators, which provide different models of soft hadronic interactions.
The differential cross-section for the inclusive production of $\psi(2S)$ mesons in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ =7 TeV has been measured with the LHCb detector. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb$^{-1}$ collected during 2010. The $\psi(2S)$ mesons are reconstructed in the decay channels $\psi(2S) \rightarrow \mu^{+} \mu^{-}$ and $\psi(2S)$ $\rightarrow$ $J$/$\psi \pi^{+}\pi^{-}$, with the $J$/$\psi$ meson decaying into two muons. Results are presented both for promptly produced $\psi(2S)$ mesons and for those originating from $b$-hadron decays. In the kinematic range $p_{\rm T}(\psi(2S))$ $\leq$ 16 GeV/$c$ and 2 < $y$($\psi(2S))$ $\leq$ 4.5 we measure \begin{eqnarray*} \sigma_{\rm prompt}(\psi(2S)) &=& 1.44 \pm 0.01~(\text{stat})\pm 0.12~(\text{syst})^{+0.20}_{-0.40}~(\text{pol})~{\rm \mu b}, \\ \sigma_{b}(\psi(2S)) &=& 0.25 \pm 0.01~(\text{stat}) \pm 0.02~(\text{syst})~{\rm \mu b}, \end{eqnarray*} where the last uncertainty on the prompt cross-section is due to the unknown $\psi(2S)$ polarization. Recent QCD calculations are found to be in good agreement with our measurements. Combining the present result with the LHCb $J$/$\psi$ measurements we determine the inclusive branching fraction \begin{equation*} \mathcal{B}(b \rightarrow \psi(2S) X) = (2.73 \pm 0.06~(\text{stat}) \pm 0.16~(\text{syst}) \pm 0.24~(\text{BF})) \times 10^{-3}, \end{equation*} where the last uncertainty is due to the $\mathcal{B}(b \rightarrow J/\psi X)$, $\mathcal{B}(J/\psi \rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^-)$ and $\mathcal{B}(\psi(2S) \rightarrow e^+ e^-)$ branching fraction uncertainties. All above results are corrected by an erratum included as an appendix.