Elliptic flow of charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV

We report the first measurement of charged particle elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement is performed in the central pseudorapidity region (|$\eta$|<0.8) and transverse momentum range 0.2< $p_{\rm T}$< 5.0 GeV/$c$. The elliptic flow signal v$_2$, measured using the 4-particle correlation method, averaged over transverse momentum and pseudorapidity is 0.087 $\pm$ 0.002 (stat) $\pm$ 0.004 (syst) in the 40-50% centrality class. The differential elliptic flow v$_2(p_{\rm T})$ reaches a maximum of 0.2 near $p_{\rm T}$ = 3 GeV/$c$. Compared to RHIC Au-Au collisions at 200 GeV, the elliptic flow increases by about 30%. Some hydrodynamic model predictions which include viscous corrections are in agreement with the observed increase.Comment: 10 pages, 4 captioned figures, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/389

Rapidity and transverse-momentum dependence of the inclusive J/ψ nuclear modification factor in p-Pb collisions at √ s(NN) = 5.02 TeV

We have studied the transverse-momentum (pT) dependence of the inclusive J/ψ production in p-Pb collisions at sNN$$sqrt{s_{mathrm{NN}}}$$ = 5.02 TeV, in three center-of-mass rapidity (ycms) regions, down to zero pT. Results in the forward and backward rapidity ranges (2.03 &lt; ycms&lt; 3.53 and −4.46 &lt; ycms&lt; −2.96) are obtained by studying the J/ψ decay to μ+μ−, while the mid-rapidity region (−1.37 &lt; ycms&lt; 0.43) is investigated by measuring the e+e− decay channel. The pT dependence of the J/ψ production cross section and nuclear modification factor are presented for each of the rapidity intervals, as well as the J/ψ mean pT values. Forward and mid-rapidity results show a suppression of the J/ψ yield, with respect to pp collisions, which decreases with increasing pT. At backward rapidity no significant J/ψ suppression is observed. Theoretical models including a combination of cold nuclear matter effects such as shadowing and partonic energy loss, are in fair agreement with the data, except at forward rapidity and low transverse momentum. The implications of the p-Pb results for the evaluation of cold nuclear matter effects on J/ψ production in Pb-Pb collisions are also discussed

Rapidity and transverse-momentum dependence of the inclusive J/ψ nuclear modification factor in p-Pb collisions at √ sNN = 5.02 TeV

Abstract: We have studied the transverse-momentum (pT) dependence of the inclusive J/ψ production in p-Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02TeV, in three center-of-mass rapidity (ycms) regions, down to zero pT. Results in the forward and backward rapidity ranges (2.03 < ycms < 3.53 and −4.46 < ycms < −2.96) are obtained by studying the J/ψ decay to μ+μ−, while the mid-rapidity region (−1.37 < ycms < 0.43) is investigated by measuring the e+e− decay channel. The pT dependence of the J/ψ production cross section and nuclear modification factor are presented for each of the rapidity intervals, as well as the J/ψ mean pT values. Forward and mid-rapidity results show a suppression of the J/ψ yield, with respect to pp collisions, which decreases with increasing pT. At backward rapidity no significant J/ψ suppression is observed. Theoretical models including a combination of cold nuclear matter effects such as shadowing and partonic energy loss, are in fair agreement with the data, except at forward rapidity and low transverse momentum. The implications of the p-Pb results for the evaluation of cold nuclear matter effects on J/ψ production in Pb-Pb collisions are also discussed

Performance of the ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC

ALICE is the heavy-ion experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The experiment continuously took data during the first physics campaign of the machine from fall 2009 until early 2013, using proton and lead-ion beams. In this paper we describe the running environment and the data handling procedures, and discuss the performance of the ALICE detectors and analysis methods for various physics observables