First measurement of Ωc0 production in pp collisions at s=13 TeV

The inclusive production of the charm–strange baryon 0 c is measured for the first time via its hadronic √ decay into −π+ at midrapidity (|y| <0.5) in proton–proton (pp) collisions at the centre-of-mass energy s =13 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The transverse momentum (pT) differential cross section multiplied by the branching ratio is presented in the interval 2 < pT < 12 GeV/c. The pT dependence of the 0 c-baryon production relative to the prompt D0-meson and to the prompt 0 c-baryon production is compared to various models that take different hadronisation mechanisms into consideration. In the measured pT interval, the ratio of the pT-integrated cross sections of 0 c and prompt + c baryons multiplied by the −π+ branching ratio is found to be larger by a factor of about 20 with a significance of about 4σ when compared to e+e− collisions

Elliptic flow of charged particles at midrapidity relative to the spectator plane in Pb–Pb and Xe–Xe collisions

Measurements of the elliptic flow coefficient relative to the collision plane defined by the spectator neutrons v2{ SP} in collisions of Pb ions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon–nucleon pair √ 2.76 TeV and Xe ions at √ sNN = sNN =5.44 TeV are reported. The results are presented for charged particles produced at midrapidity as a function of centrality and transverse momentum for the 5–70% and 0.2–6 GeV/c ranges, respectively. The ratio between v2{ SP} and the elliptic flow coefficient relative to the participant plane v2{4}, estimated using four-particle correlations, deviates by up to 20% from unity depending on centrality. This observation differs strongly from the magnitude of the corresponding eccentricity ratios predicted by the TRENTo and the elliptic power models of initial state fluctuations that are tuned to describe the participant plane anisotropies. The differences can be interpreted as a decorrelation of the neutron spectator plane and the reaction plane because of fragmentation of the remnants from the colliding nuclei, which points to an incompleteness of current models describing the initial state fluctuations. A significant transverse momentum dependence of the ratio v2{ SP}/v2{4} is observed in all but the most central collisions, which may help to understand whether momentum anisotropies at low and intermediate transverse momentum have a common origin in initial state f luctuations. The ratios of v2{ SP} and v2{4} to the corresponding initial state eccentricities for Xe–Xe and Pb–Pb collisions at similar initial entropy density show a difference of (7.0 ±0.9)%with an additional variation of +1.8% when including RHIC data in the TRENTo parameter extraction. These observations provide new experimental constraints for viscous effects in the hydrodynamic modeling of the expanding quark–gluon plasma produced in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC

Skewness and kurtosis of mean transverse momentum fluctuations at the LHC energies

The first measurements of skewness and kurtosis of mean transverse momentum (〈pT〉) fluctuations are reported in Pb–Pb collisions at sNN = 5.02 TeV, Xe–Xe collisions at sNN = 5.44 TeV and pp collisions at s=5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector. The measurements are carried out as a function of system size 〈dNch/dη〉|η|<0.51/3, using charged particles with transverse momentum (pT) and pseudorapidity (η), in the range 0.2<pT<3.0 GeV/c and |η|<0.8, respectively. In Pb–Pb and Xe–Xe collisions, positive skewness is observed in the fluctuations of 〈pT〉 for all centralities, which is significantly larger than what would be expected in the scenario of independent particle emission. This positive skewness is considered a crucial consequence of the hydrodynamic evolution of the hot and dense nuclear matter created in heavy-ion collisions. Furthermore, similar observations of positive skewness for minimum bias pp collisions are also reported here. Kurtosis of 〈pT〉 fluctuations is found to be in good agreement with the kurtosis of Gaussian distribution, for most central Pb–Pb collisions. Hydrodynamic model calculations with MUSIC using Monte Carlo Glauber initial conditions are able to explain the measurements of both skewness and kurtosis qualitatively from semicentral to central collisions in Pb–Pb system. Color reconnection mechanism in PYTHIA8 model seems to play a pivotal role in capturing the qualitative behavior of the same measurements in pp collisions

Accessing the strong interaction between Λ baryons and charged kaons with the femtoscopy technique at the LHC

The interaction between Λ baryons and kaons/antikaons is a crucial ingredient for the strangeness S=0 and S=−2 sector of the meson–baryon interaction at low energies. In particular, the ΛK‾ might help in understanding the origin of states such as the Ξ(1620), whose nature and properties are still under debate. Experimental data on Λ–K and Λ–K‾ systems are scarce, leading to large uncertainties and tension between the available theoretical predictions constrained by such data. In this Letter we present the measurements of Λ–K⊕+Λ‾–K− and Λ–K⊕−Λ‾–K+ correlations obtained in the high-multiplicity triggered data sample in pp collisions at s=13 TeV recorded by ALICE at the LHC. The correlation function for both pairs is modeled using the Lednický–Lyuboshits analytical formula and the corresponding scattering parameters are extracted. The Λ–K⊕−Λ‾–K+ correlations show the presence of several structures at relative momenta k⁎ above 200 MeV/c, compatible with the Ω baryon, the Ξ(1690), and Ξ(1820) resonances decaying into Λ–K− pairs. The low k⁎ region in the Λ–K⊕−Λ‾–K+ also exhibits the presence of the Ξ(1620) state, expected to strongly couple to the measured pair. The presented data allow to access the ΛK+ and ΛK− strong interaction with an unprecedented precision and deliver the first experimental observation of the Ξ(1620) decaying into ΛK−

System-size dependence of the hadronic rescattering effect at energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

International audienceThe first measurements of K*(892)0 resonance production as a function of charged-particle multiplicity in Xe-Xe collisions at sNN=5.44 TeV and pp collisions ats=5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector are presented. The resonance is reconstructed at midrapidity (|y| &lt; 0.5) using the hadronic decay channel K*0 →K±π∓. Measurements of transverse-momentum integrated yield, mean transverse-momentum, nuclear modification factor of K*0, and yield ratios of resonance to stable hadron (K*0/K) are compared across different collision systems (pp, p-Pb, Xe-Xe, and Pb-Pb) at similar collision energies to investigate how the production of K*0 resonances depends on the size of the system formed in these collisions. The hadronic rescattering effect is found to be independent of the size of colliding systems and mainly driven by the produced charged-particle multiplicity, which is a proxy of the volume of produced matter at the chemical freeze-out. In addition, the production yields of K*0 in Xe-Xe collisions are utilized to constrain the dependence of the kinetic freeze-out temperature on the system size using the hadron resonance gas–partial chemical equilibrium model

Pseudorapidity dependence of anisotropic flow and its decorrelations using long-range multiparticle correlations in Pb–Pb and Xe–Xe collisions

The pseudorapidity dependence of elliptic (v2), triangular (v3), and quadrangular (v4) flow coefficients of charged particles measured in Pb–Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sNN=5.02TeV and in Xe–Xe collisions at sNN=5.44TeV with ALICE at the LHC are presented. The measurements are performed in the pseudorapidity range −3.5<η<5 for various centrality intervals using two- and multi-particle cumulants with the subevent method. The flow probability density function (p.d.f.) is studied with the ratio of flow coefficient v2 calculated with four- and two-particle cumulant, and suggests that the variance of flow p.d.f. is independent of pseudorapidity. The decorrelation of the flow vector in the longitudinal direction is probed using two-particle correlations. The results measured with respect to different reference regions in pseudorapidity exhibit differences, argued to be a result of saturating decorrelation effect above a certain pseudorapidity separation, in contrast to previous publications which assign this observation to non-flow effects. The results are compared to 3+1 dimensional hydrodynamic and the AMPT transport model calculations. Neither of the models is able to simultaneously describe the pseudorapidity dependence of measurements of anisotropic flow and its fluctuations. The results presented in this work highlight shortcomings in our current understanding of initial conditions and subsequent system expansion in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, they provide input for its improvement

First measurement of <math><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Λ</mi><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow><mo>+</mo></msubsup></math> production down to <math><mrow><msub><mi>p</mi><mi>T</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></math> in <math><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></math> and <math><mi>p</mi></math>-Pb collisions at <math><mrow><msqrt><msub><mi>s</mi><mrow><mi>N</mi><mi>N</mi></mrow></msub></msqrt><mo>=</mo><mn>5.02</mn></mrow></math> TeV

International audienceThe production of prompt Λc+ baryons has been measured at midrapidity in the transverse momentum interval 0&lt;pT&lt;1 GeV/c for the first time, in pp and p–Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision sNN=5.02TeV. The measurement was performed in the decay channel Λc+→pKS0 by applying new decay reconstruction techniques using a Kalman-Filter vertexing algorithm and adopting a machine-learning approach for the candidate selection. The pT-integrated Λc+ production cross sections in both collision systems were determined and used along with the measured yields in Pb–Pb collisions to compute the pT-integrated nuclear modification factors RpPb and RAA of Λc+ baryons, which are compared to model calculations that consider nuclear modification of the parton distribution functions. The Λc+/D0 baryon-to-meson yield ratio is reported for pp and p–Pb collisions. Comparisons with models that include modified hadronization processes are presented, and the implications of the results on the understanding of charm hadronization in hadronic collisions are discussed. A significant (3.7σ) modification of the mean transverse momentum of Λc+ baryons is seen in p–Pb collisions with respect to pp collisions, while the pT-integrated Λc+/D0 yield ratio was found to be consistent between the two collision systems within the uncertainties

Jet-like correlations with respect to KS0^{0}_{\rm S} and Λ\Lambda (Λˉ\bar{\Lambda}) in pp and Pb-Pb collisions at sNN\mathbf{\it\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02 TeV

International audienceTwo-particle correlations with $\textrm{K}^{0}_\mathrm{{S}}$, $\Lambda$/$\overline{\Lambda }$, and charged hadrons as trigger particles in the transverse momentum range 8{3 GeV/$c$ as expected from strong in-medium energy loss, while an enhancement develops at low $p_{{\textrm{T}},{\textrm{assoc}}}$ on both the near and away sides, reaching $I_{\textrm{AA}}\approx 1.8$ and 2.7 respectively. These findings are in good agreement with previous ALICE measurements from two-particle correlations triggered by neutral pions ($\pi ^{0}$–h) and charged hadrons (h–h) in Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}~=~2.76$ TeV. Moreover, the correlations with $\textrm{K}^{0}_\mathrm{{S}}$ mesons and $\Lambda$/$\overline{\Lambda }$ baryons as trigger particles are compared to those of inclusive charged hadrons. The results are compared with the predictions of Monte Carlo models

Azimuthal correlations of heavy-flavor hadron decay electrons with charged particles in pp and p–Pb collisions at sNN\pmb {\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{{NN}}}}} = 5.02 TeV

International audienceThe azimuthal ($\Delta \varphi$) correlation distributions between heavy-flavor decay electrons and associated charged particles are measured in pp and p–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{{NN}}}} = 5.02$ TeV. Results are reported for electrons with transverse momentum $4<p_{\textrm{T}}<16\textrm{GeV}/c$ and pseudorapidity $|\eta |<0.6$. The associated charged particles are selected with transverse momentum $1<p_{\textrm{T}}<7\textrm{GeV}/c$, and relative pseudorapidity separation with the leading electron $|\Delta \eta | < 1$. The correlation measurements are performed to study and characterize the fragmentation and hadronization of heavy quarks. The correlation structures are fitted with a constant and two von Mises functions to obtain the baseline and the near- and away-side peaks, respectively. The results from p–Pb collisions are compared with those from pp collisions to study the effects of cold nuclear matter. In the measured trigger electron and associated particle kinematic regions, the two collision systems give consistent results. The $\Delta \varphi$ distribution and the peak observables in pp and p–Pb collisions are compared with calculations from various Monte Carlo event generators

Measurements of groomed-jet substructure of charm jets tagged by D0{\rm D}^0 mesons in proton–proton collisions at s\sqrt{s} = 13 TeV

Understanding the role of parton mass and Casimir colour factors in the quantum chromodynamics parton shower represents an important step in characterising the emission properties of heavy quarks. Recent experimental advances in jet substructure techniques have provided the opportunity to isolate and characterise gluon emissions from heavy quarks. In this work, the first direct experimental constraint on the charm-quark splitting function is presented, obtained via the measurement of the groomed shared momentum fraction of the first splitting in charm jets, tagged by a reconstructed ${\rm D}^0$ meson. The measurement is made in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV, in the low jet transverse-momentum interval of $15 \leq p_{\rm T}^{\rm jet~ch} < 30$ GeV/$c$ where the emission properties are sensitive to parton mass effects. In addition, the opening angle of the first perturbative emission of the charm quark, as well as the number of perturbative emissions it undergoes, are reported. Comparisons to measurements of an inclusive-jet sample show a steeper splitting function for charm quarks compared to gluons and light quarks. Charm quarks also undergo fewer perturbative emissions in the parton shower, with a reduced probability of large-angle emissions.Understanding the role of parton mass and Casimir colour factors in the quantum chromodynamics parton shower represents an important step in characterising the emission properties of heavy quarks. Recent experimental advances in jet substructure techniques have provided the opportunity to isolate and characterise gluon emissions from heavy quarks. In this work, the first direct experimental constraint on the charm-quark splitting function is presented, obtained via the measurement of the groomed shared momentum fraction of the first splitting in charm jets, tagged by a reconstructed ${\rm D}^0$ meson. The measurement is made in proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, in the low jet transverse-momentum interval of $15 \leq p_{\rm T}^{\rm jet~ch} < 30$ GeV/$c$ where the emission properties are sensitive to parton mass effects. In addition, the opening angle of the first perturbative emission of the charm quark, as well as the number of perturbative emissions it undergoes, are reported. Comparisons to measurements of an inclusive-jet sample show a steeper splitting function for charm quarks compared to gluons and light quarks. Charm quarks also undergo fewer perturbative emissions in the parton shower, with a reduced probability of large-angle emissions