Production of He-4 and (4) in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S=2.76 TeV at the LHC

Results on the production of He-4 and (4) nuclei in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 2.76 TeV in the rapidity range vertical bar y vertical bar <1, using the ALICE detector, are presented in this paper. The rapidity densities corresponding to 0-10% central events are found to be dN/dy4(He) = (0.8 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.3 (syst)) x 10(-6) and dN/dy4 = (1.1 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.2 (syst)) x 10(-6), respectively. This is in agreement with the statistical thermal model expectation assuming the same chemical freeze-out temperature (T-chem = 156 MeV) as for light hadrons. The measured ratio of (4)/He-4 is 1.4 +/- 0.8 (stat) +/- 0.5 (syst). (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Direct Photon Production and HBT Correlations in Pb–Pb Collisions at sNN=5.02\sqrt {s_{NN}}=5.02~TeV with the ALICE Experiment

Measurements of direct photons can provide valuable information on the properties and dynamics of the quark–gluon plasma (QGP) by comparing them to model calculations that describe the whole evolution of the system created in heavy-ion collisions, from the initial hard scattering to the pre-equilibrium, QGP, and hadronic phases. In the ALICE experiment, photons can be reconstructed either by using the calorimeters or via conversions in the detector material. The photon conversion method benefits from an excellent energy resolution and is able to provide direct photon measurements down to transverse momenta of pT = 0.4 GeV/c. For Hanbury-Brown and Twiss (HBT) correlation studies, the detector setup can be exploited to combine a conversion photon with a calorimeter photon, such that near-zero opening angles are measured. In this contribution, we present the first measurements of direct photon production in Pb–Pb collisions at √ sNN = 5.02 TeV by ALICE, including direct photon spectra from central to peripheral events. The latest results of the first analysis of photon HBT correlations at the LHC are shown as well

Multiplicity dependence of light (anti-)nuclei production in p–Pb collisions at sNN=5.02 TeV

The measurement of the deuteron and anti-deuteron production in the rapidity range −1 < y < 0 as a function of transverse momentum and event multiplicity in p–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV is presented. (Anti-)deuterons are identified via their specific energy loss dE/dx and via their time-of- flight. Their production in p–Pb collisions is compared to pp and Pb–Pb collisions and is discussed within the context of thermal and coalescence models. The ratio of integrated yields of deuterons to protons (d/p) shows a significant increase as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity of the event starting from values similar to those observed in pp collisions at low multiplicities and approaching those observed in Pb–Pb collisions at high multiplicities. The mean transverse particle momenta are extracted from the deuteron spectra and the values are similar to those obtained for p and particles. Thus, deuteron spectra do not follow mass ordering. This behaviour is in contrast to the trend observed for non-composite particles in p–Pb collisions. In addition, the production of the rare 3He and 3He nuclei has been studied. The spectrum corresponding to all non-single diffractive p-Pb collisions is obtained in the rapidity window −1 < y < 0 and the pT-integrated yield dN/dy is extracted. It is found that the yields of protons, deuterons, and 3He, normalised by the spin degeneracy factor, follow an exponential decrease with mass number

Pseudorapidity densities of charged particles with transverse momentum thresholds in pp collisions at √ s = 5.02 and 13 TeV

The pseudorapidity density of charged particles with minimum transverse momentum (pT) thresholds of 0.15, 0.5, 1, and 2 GeV/c is measured in pp collisions at the center of mass energies of √s=5.02 and 13 TeV with the ALICE detector. The study is carried out for inelastic collisions with at least one primary charged particle having a pseudorapidity (η) within 0.8pT larger than the corresponding threshold. In addition, measurements without pT-thresholds are performed for inelastic and nonsingle-diffractive events as well as for inelastic events with at least one charged particle having |η|2GeV/c), highlighting the importance of such measurements for tuning event generators. The new measurements agree within uncertainties with results from the ATLAS and CMS experiments obtained at √s=13TeV.

Forward rapidity J/ψ production as a function of charged-particle multiplicity in pp collisions at s \sqrt{s} = 5.02 and 13 TeV

International audienceThe production of J/ψ is measured as a function of charged-particle multiplicity at forward rapidity in proton-proton (pp) collisions at center-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 and 13 TeV. The J/ψ mesons are reconstructed via their decay into dimuons in the rapidity interval (2.5 < y < 4.0), whereas the charged-particle multiplicity density (dN$_{ch}$/dη) is measured at midrapidity (|η| < 1). The production rate as a function of multiplicity is reported as the ratio of the yield in a given multiplicity interval to the multiplicity-integrated one. This observable shows a linear increase with charged-particle multiplicity normalized to the corresponding average value for inelastic events (dN$_{ch}$/dη/〈dN$_{ch}$/dη〉), at both the colliding energies. Measurements are compared with available ALICE results at midrapidity and theoretical model calculations. First measurement of the mean transverse momentum (〈p$_{T}$〉) of J/ψ in pp collisions exhibits an increasing trend as a function of dN$_{ch}$/dη/〈dN$_{ch}$/dη〉 showing a saturation towards high charged-particle multiplicities.[graphic not available: see fulltext

Neutron emission in ultraperipheral Pb-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt {s_{NN}} = 5.02 TeV

In ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) of relativistic nuclei without overlap of nuclear densities, the two nuclei are excited by the Lorentz-contracted Coulomb fields of their collision partners. In these UPCs, the typical nuclear excitation energy is below a few tens of MeV, and a small number of nucleons are emitted in electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) of primary nuclei, in contrast to complete nuclear fragmentation in hadronic interactions. The cross sections of emission of given numbers of neutrons in UPCs of $^{208}$Pb nuclei at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$~TeV were measured with the neutron zero degree calorimeters (ZDCs) of the ALICE detector at the LHC, exploiting a similar technique to that used in previous studies performed at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=2.76$~TeV. In addition, the cross sections for the exclusive emission of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 forward neutrons in the EMD, not accompanied by the emission of forward protons, and thus mostly corresponding to the production of $^{207,206,205,204,203}$Pb, respectively, were measured for the first time. The predictions from the available models describe the measured cross sections well. These cross sections can be used for evaluating the impact of secondary nuclei on the LHC components, in particular, on superconducting magnets, and also provide useful input for the design of the Future Circular Collider (FCC-hh).In ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) of relativistic nuclei without overlap of nuclear densities, the two nuclei are excited by the Lorentz-contracted Coulomb fields of their collision partners. In these UPCs, the typical nuclear excitation energy is below a few tens of MeV, and a small number of nucleons are emitted in electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) of primary nuclei, in contrast to complete nuclear fragmentation in hadronic interactions. The cross sections of emission of given numbers of neutrons in UPCs of Pb208 nuclei at sNN=5.02 TeV were measured with the neutron zero degree calorimeters (ZDCs) of the ALICE detector at the LHC, exploiting a similar technique to that used in previous studies performed at sNN=2.76 TeV. In addition, the cross sections for the exclusive emission of one, two, three, four, and five forward neutrons in the EMD, not accompanied by the emission of forward protons, and thus mostly corresponding to the production of Pb207,206,205,204,203, respectively, were measured for the first time. The predictions from the available models describe the measured cross sections well. These cross sections can be used for evaluating the impact of secondary nuclei on the LHC components, in particular, on superconducting magnets, and also provide useful input for the design of the Future Circular Collider (FCC-hh).In ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) of relativistic nuclei without overlap of nuclear densities, the two nuclei are excited by the Lorentz-contracted Coulomb fields of their collision partners. In these UPCs, the typical nuclear excitation energy is below a few tens of MeV, and a small number of nucleons are emitted in electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) of primary nuclei, in contrast to complete nuclear fragmentation in hadronic interactions. The cross sections of emission of given numbers of neutrons in UPCs of $^{208}$Pb nuclei at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV were measured with the neutron zero degree calorimeters (ZDCs) of the ALICE detector at the LHC, exploiting a similar technique to that used in previous studies performed at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=2.76$ TeV. In addition, the cross sections for the exclusive emission of one, two, three, four, and five forward neutrons in the EMD, not accompanied by the emission of forward protons, and thus mostly corresponding to the production of $^{207,206,205,204,203}$Pb, respectively, were measured for the first time. The predictions from the available models describe the measured cross sections well. These cross sections can be used for evaluating the impact of secondary nuclei on the LHC components, in particular, on superconducting magnets, and also provide useful input for the design of the Future Circular Collider (FCC-hh)

Enhanced deuteron coalescence probability in jets

The transverse-momentum (pT) spectra and coalescence parameters B2 of (anti)deuterons are measured in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV for the first time in and out of jets. In this measurement, the direction of the leading particle with the highest pT in the event (pleadT>5 GeV/c) is used as an approximation for the jet axis. The event is consequently divided into three azimuthal regions and the jet signal is obtained as the difference between the Toward region, that contains jet fragmentation products in addition to the underlying event (UE), and the Transverse region, which is dominated by the UE. The coalescence parameter in the jet is found to be approximately a factor of 10 larger than that in the underlying event. This experimental observation is consistent with the coalescence picture and can be attributed to the smaller average phase-space distance between nucleons inside the jet cone as compared to the underlying event. The results presented in this Letter are compared to predictions from a simple nucleon coalescence model, where the phase space distributions of nucleons are generated using PYTHIA 8 with the Monash 2013 tuning, and to predictions from a deuteron production model based on ordinary nuclear reactions with parametrized energy-dependent cross sections tuned on data. The latter model is implemented in PYTHIA 8.3. Both models reproduce the observed large difference between in-jet and out-of-jet coalescence parameters, although the almost flat trend of the BJet2 is not reproduced by the models, which instead give a decreasing trend

Inclusive quarkonium production in pp collisions at s=5.02\sqrt{s} = 5.02 TeV

This article reports on the inclusive production cross section of several quarkonium states, $\mathrm{J}/\psi$, $\psi {\rm (2S)}$, $\Upsilon\rm(1S)$, $\Upsilon\rm(2S)$, and $\Upsilon\rm(3S)$, measured with the ALICE detector at the LHC, in \pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV. The analysis is performed in the dimuon decay channel at forward rapidity ($2.5 < y < 4$). The measured cross sections, assuming unpolarized quarkonia, are: $\sigma_{\mathrm{J}/\psi} = 5.88 \pm 0.03 \pm 0.34\ \mu$b, $\sigma_{\psi {\rm (2S)}} = 0.87 \pm 0.06 \pm 0.10\ \mu$b, $\sigma_{\Upsilon\rm(1S)} = 45.5 \pm 3.9 \pm 3.5$ nb, $\sigma_{\Upsilon\rm(2S)} = 22.4 \pm 3.2 \pm 2.7$ nb, and $\sigma_{\Upsilon\rm(3S)} = 4.9 \pm 2.2 \pm 1.0$ nb, where the first (second) uncertainty is the statistical (systematic) one. The transverse-momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) and rapidity ($y$) differential cross sections for $\mathrm{J}/\psi$, $\psi {\rm (2S)}$, $\Upsilon\rm(1S)$, and the $\psi {\rm (2S)}$-to-$\mathrm{J}/\psi$ cross section ratios are presented. For the first time, the cross sections of the three $\Upsilon$ states, as well as the $\psi {\rm (2S)}$ one as a function of $p_{\rm T}$ and $y$, are measured at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV at forward rapidity. These measurements also significantly extend the $\mathrm{J}/\psi$$p_{\rm T}$ reach with respect to previously published results. A comparison with ALICE measurements in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 2.76$, 7, 8, and 13 TeV is presented and the energy dependence of quarkonium production cross sections is discussed. Finally, the results are compared with the predictions from several production models

Measurement of beauty production via non-prompt D0{\rm D}^{0} mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02 TeV

The production of non-prompt ${\rm D}^{0}$ mesons from beauty-hadron decays was measured at midrapidity ($\left| y \right| 5~\mathrm{GeV}/c$ in the $0-10$% central Pb-Pb collisions. The data are described by models that include both collisional and radiative processes in the calculation of beauty-quark energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma, and quark recombination in addition to fragmentation as a hadronization mechanism. The ratio of the non-prompt to prompt ${\rm D}^{0}$-meson $R_{\rm AA}$ is larger than unity for $p_{\rm T} > 4~\mathrm{GeV}/c$ in the $0-10$% central Pb-Pb collisions, as predicted by models in which beauty quarks lose less energy than charm quarks in the quark-gluon plasma because of their larger mass