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 Lambda-Kbar might help in understanding the origin of states such as the Csi(1620), whose nature and properties are still under debate. Experimental data on Lambda-K and Lambda-Kbar 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–KK− and Λ–KK+ correlations obtained in the high-multiplicity triggered data sample in pp collisions at sqrt(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–KK+ correlations show the presence of several structures at relative momenta k* above 200 MeV/c, compatible with the Ω baryon, the , and resonances decaying into Λ–K− pairs. The low k* region in the Λ–KK+ also exhibits the presence of the 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 decaying into ΛK−

Probing the chiral magnetic wave with charge-dependent flow measurements in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC

The Chiral MagneticWave (CMW) phenomenon is essential to provide insights into the strong interaction in QCD, the properties of the quark-gluon plasma, and the topological characteristics of the early universe, offering a deeper understanding of fundamental physics in high-energy collisions. Measurements of the charge-dependent anisotropic flow coefficients are studied in Pb-Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision v sNN = 5.02TeV to probe the CMW. In particular, the slope of the normalized difference in elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) flow coefficients of positively and negatively charged particles as a function of their event-wise normalized number difference, is reported for inclusive and identified particles. The slope rNorm 3 is found to be larger than zero and to have a magnitude similar to rNorm 2, thus pointing to a large background contribution for these measurements. Furthermore, rNorm 2 can be described by a blast wave model calculation that incorporates local charge conservation. In addition, using the event shape engineering technique yields a fraction of CMW (fCMW) contribution to this measurement which is compatible with zero. This measurement provides the very first upper limit for fCMW, and in the 10-60% centrality interval it is found to be 26% (38%) at 95% (99.7%) confidence level

Charm production and fragmentation fractions at midrapidity in pp collisions at s s \sqrt{\textrm{s}} = 13 TeV

Abstract Measurements of the production cross sections of prompt D0, D+, D*+, D s + $${\textrm{D}}_{\textrm{s}}^{+}$$ , Λ c + $${\Lambda}_{\textrm{c}}^{+}$$ , and Ξ c + $${\Xi}_{\textrm{c}}^{+}$$ charm hadrons at midrapidity in proton-proton collisions at s $$\sqrt{s}$$ = 13 TeV with the ALICE detector are presented. The D-meson cross sections as a function of transverse momentum (p T) are provided with improved precision and granularity. The ratios of p T-differential meson production cross sections based on this publication and on measurements at different rapidity and collision energy provide a constraint on gluon parton distribution functions at low values of Bjorken-x (10 −5–10 −4). The measurements of Λ c + $${\Lambda}_{\textrm{c}}^{+}$$ ( Ξ c + $${\Xi}_{\textrm{c}}^{+}$$ ) baryon production extend the measured p T intervals down to p T = 0(3) GeV/c. These measurements are used to determine the charm-quark fragmentation fractions and the c c ¯ $$\textrm{c}\overline{\textrm{c}}$$ production cross section at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) based on the sum of the cross sections of the weakly-decaying ground-state charm hadrons D0, D+, D s + $${\textrm{D}}_{\textrm{s}}^{+}$$ , Λ c + $${\Lambda}_{\textrm{c}}^{+}$$ , Ξ c 0 $${\Xi}_{\textrm{c}}^0$$ and, for the first time, Ξ c + $${\Xi}_{\textrm{c}}^{+}$$ , and of the strongly-decaying J/ψ mesons. The first measurements of Ξ c + $${\Xi}_{\textrm{c}}^{+}$$ and Σ c 0 , + + $${\Sigma}_{\textrm{c}}^{0,++}$$ fragmentation fractions at midrapidity are also reported. A significantly larger fraction of charm quarks hadronising to baryons is found compared to e+e − and ep collisions. The c c ¯ $$\textrm{c}\overline{\textrm{c}}$$ production cross section at midrapidity is found to be at the upper bound of state-of-the-art perturbative QCD calculations

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

The interaction between Lambda 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 Lambda(K) over bar might help in understanding the origin of states such as the Xi(1620), whose nature and properties are still under debate. Experimental data on Lambda-K and Lambda-(K) over bar 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 Lambda-K+ circle plus (Lambda) over bar -K- and Lambda-K- circle plus (Lambda) over bar -K+ correlations obtained in the high-multiplicity triggered data sample in pp collisions at root s= 13TeV recorded by ALICE at the LHC. The correlation function for both pairs is modeled using the Lednicky-Lyuboshits analytical formula and the corresponding scattering parameters are extracted. The Lambda-K- circle plus (Lambda) over bar -K+ correlations show the presence of several structures at relative momenta k* above 200 MeV/c, compatible with the Omega baryon, the Xi(1690), and Xi(1820) resonances decaying into Lambda-K- pairs. The low k* region in the Lambda-K- circle plus (Lambda) over bar -K+ also exhibits the presence of the Xi(1620) state, expected to strongly couple to the measured pair. The presented data allow to access the Lambda K+ and Lambda K- strong interaction with an unprecedented precision and deliver the first experimental observation of the Xi(1620) decaying into Lambda K-. (c) 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Funded by SCOAP3

Measurement of non-prompt D -meson elliptic flow in Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN=5.02 TeV

The elliptic flow (v2) of D mesons from beauty-hadron decays (non-prompt D) was measured in midcentral (30–50%) Pb–Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sNN=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The D mesons were reconstructed at midrapidity (| y| < 0.8) from their hadronic decay D → K -π + , in the transverse momentum interval 2 < pT< 12 GeV/c. The result indicates a positive v2 for non-prompt D mesons with a significance of 2.7 σ . The non-prompt D -meson v2 is lower than that of prompt non-strange D mesons with 3.2 σ significance in 2<8GeV/c , and compatible with the v2 of beauty-decay electrons. Theoretical calculations of beauty-quark transport in a hydrodynamically expanding medium describe the measurement within uncertainties

Measurement of non-prompt D0-meson elliptic flow in Pb–Pb collisions at sqrt{s_NN} = 5.02 TeV

The elliptic flow (v2) of D mesons from beauty-hadron decays (non-prompt D) was measured in midcentral (30–50%) Pb–Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sNN=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The D mesons were reconstructed at midrapidity (| y| &lt; 0.8) from their hadronic decay D → K -π + , in the transverse momentum interval 2 &lt; pT&lt; 12 GeV/c. The result indicates a positive v2 for non-prompt D mesons with a significance of 2.7 σ . The non-prompt D -meson v2 is lower than that of prompt non-strange D mesons with 3.2 σ significance in 2&lt;8GeV/c , and compatible with the v2 of beauty-decay electrons. Theoretical calculations of beauty-quark transport in a hydrodynamically expanding medium describe the measurement within uncertainties

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−