ALICE alignment challenge

ALICE physics goals and the characteristics of the ALICE detector essential to achieve them are briefly described. The reconstruction precision for ALICE physics is presented and commented upon from the point of view of the alignment quality. The strategic choices to cope with the alignment challenges are briefly developed

A study of the etapipi channel produced in central pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

The reaction pp -> pf (eta pi pi) ps has been studied at 450 GeV/c. There is clear evidence for an a2(1320)pi decay mode of the eta2(1645) and eta2(1870). In addition, there is evidence for an a0(980)pi$ decay mode of both resonances and an f2(1270)eta decay mode of the eta2(1870). No evidence is found for a JPC = 2++ a2(1320)pi wave.Comment: 15 pages, Latex, 4 Figures Branching ratio a2pi /f2 eta correcte

A study of the f0(1370), f0(1500), f0(2000) and f2(1950) observed in the centrally produced 4pi final states

The production and decay properties of the f0(1370), f0(1500), f0(2000) and f2(1950) have been studied in central pp interactions at 450 GeV/c. The dPT, phi and |t| distributions of these resonances are presented. For the J = 0 states, the f0(1370) and f0(2000) have similar dPT and phi dependences. These are different to the dPT and phi dependences of the f0(980), f0(1500) and f0(1710). For the J = 2 states the f2(1950) has different dependences to the f2(1270) and f2'(1520). This shows that the dPT and phi dependences are not just J phenomena.Comment: 14 pages, Latex, 4 Figure

Dibaryons with Strangeness: their Weak Nonleptonic Decay using SU(3) Symmetry and how to find them in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

Weak SU(3) symmetry is successfully applied to the weak hadronic decay amplitudes of octet hyperons. Weak nonmesonic and mesonic decays of various dibaryons with strangeness, their dominant decay modes, and lifetimes are calculated. Production estimates for BNL's Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider are presented employing wave function coalescence. Signals for detecting strange dibaryon states in heavy-ion collisions and revealing information about the unknown hyperon-hyperon interactions are outlined.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, uses RevTeX, discussion about the model of the weak decay and experimental signals extended, references update

A study of pseudoscalar states produced centrally in pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

A study has been made of pseudoscalar mesons produced centrally in pp interactions. The results show that the eta and etaprime appear to have a similar production mechanism which differs from that of the pi0. The production properties of the eta and etaprime are not consistent with what is expected from double Pomeron exchange. In addition the production mechanism for the eta and etaprime is such that the production cross section are greatest when the azimuthal angle between the pT vectors of the two protons is 90 degrees.Comment: 11 pages, Latex, 3 Figure

Strangeness enhancements at central rapidity in 40 A GeV/c Pb-Pb collisions

Results are presented on neutral kaon, hyperon and antihyperon production in Pb-Pb and p-Be interactions at 40 GeV/c per nucleon. The enhancement pattern follows the same hierarchy as seen in the higher energy data - the enhancement increases with the strangeness content of the hyperons and with the centrality of collision. The centrality dependence of the Pb-Pb yields and enhancements is steeper at 40 than at 158 A GeV/c. The energy dependence of strangeness enhancements at mid-rapidity is discussed.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures and 3 tables. Presented at International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter (SQM2009), Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 27 Sept - 2 Oct 2009. Submitted to J.Phys.G: Nucl.Part.Phys, one reference adde

A partial wave analysis of the centrally produced pi+pi- system in pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

A partial wave analysis of the centrally produced pi+pi- channel has been performed in pp collisions using an incident beam momentum of 450 GeV/c. An unambiguous physical solution has been found. Evidence is found for the f0(980), f0(1300), f0(1500) and fJ(1710) with J = 0 in the the S-wave. The rho(770) is observed dominantly in the P0-wave and the f2(1270) is observed dominantly in the D0-wave. In addition, there is evidence for a broad enhancement in the D-wave below 1 GeV.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, 4 Figure

A partial wave analysis of the centrally produced K+K- and K0K0 systems in pp interactions at 450 GeV/c and new information on the spin of the fJ(1710)

A partial wave analysis of the centrally produced K+K- and K0K0 channels has been performed in pp collisions using an incident beam momentum of 450 GeV/c. An unambiguous physical solution has been found in each channel. The striking feature is the observation of peaks in the S-wave corresponding to the f0(1500) and fJ(1710) with J = 0. The D-wave shows evidence for the f2(1270)/a2(1320), the f2(1525) and the f2(2150) but there is no evidence for a statistically significant contribution in the D-wave in the 1.7 GeV mass region.Comment: 15 pages, Latex, 5 Figure

Rapidity distributions around mid-rapidity of strange particles in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 AA GeV/c

The production at central rapidity of K0s, Lambda, Xi and Omega particles in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 A GeV/c has been measured by the NA57 experiment over a centrality range corresponding to the most central 53% of the inelastic Pb-Pb cross section. In this paper we present the rapidity distribution of each particle in the central rapidity unit as a function of the event centrality. The distributions are analyzed based on hydrodynamical models of the collisions.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure