Production of pions, kaons, and protons as a function of the relative transverse activity classifier in pp collisions at s \sqrt{s} = 13 TeV

International audienceThe production of π$^{±}$, K$^{±}$, and $\left(\overline{\textrm{p}}\right)\textrm{p}$ is measured in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV in different topological regions of the events. Particle transverse momentum (p$_{T}$) spectra are measured in the “toward”, “transverse”, and “away” angular regions defined with respect to the direction of the leading particle in the event. While the toward and away regions contain the fragmentation products of the near-side and away-side jets, respectively, the transverse region is dominated by particles from the Underlying Event (UE). The relative transverse activity classifier, R$_{T}$ = N$_{T}$/〈N$_{T}$〉, is used to group events according to their UE activity, where N$_{T}$ is the measured charged-particle multiplicity per event in the transverse region and 〈N$_{T}$〉 is the mean value over all the analysed events. The first measurements of identified particle p$_{T}$ spectra as a function of R$_{T}$ in the three topological regions are reported. It is found that the yield of high transverse momentum particles relative to the R$_{T}$-integrated measurement decreases with increasing R$_{T}$ in both the toward and the away regions, indicating that the softer UE dominates particle production as R$_{T}$ increases and validating that R$_{T}$ can be used to control the magnitude of the UE. Conversely, the spectral shapes in the transverse region harden significantly with increasing R$_{T}$. This hardening follows a mass ordering, being more significant for heavier particles. Finally, it is observed that the p$_{T}$-differential particle ratios \left(\textrm{p}+\overline{\textrm{p}}\right)/\left({\uppi}^{+}+{\uppi}^{-}\right) and (K$^{+}$ + K$^{−}$)/(π$^{+}$ + π$^{−}$) in the low UE limit (R$_{T}$ → 0) approach expectations from Monte Carlo generators such as PYTHIA 8 with Monash 2013 tune and EPOS LHC, where the jet-fragmentation models have been tuned to reproduce e$^{+}$e$^{−}$ results.[graphic not available: see fulltext

Anisotropic flow and flow fluctuations of identified hadrons in Pb–Pb collisions at sNN \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} = 5.02 TeV

International audienceThe first measurements of elliptic flow of π$^{±}$, K$^{±}$, $\textrm{p}+\overline{\textrm{p}}$, ${\textrm{K}}_{\textrm{S}}^0$, $\Lambda +\overline{\Lambda}$, ϕ, ${\Xi}^{-}+{\overline{\Xi}}^{+}$, and ${\varOmega}^{-}+{\overline{\varOmega}}^{+}$ using multiparticle cumulants in Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV are resented. Results obtained with two- (v$_{2}${2}) and four-particle cumulants (v$_{2}${4}) are shown as a function of transverse momentum, p$_{T}$, for various collision centrality intervals. Combining the data for both v$_{2}${2} and v$_{2}${4} also allows us to report the first measurements of the mean elliptic flow, elliptic flow fluctuations, and relative elliptic flow fluctuations for various hadron species. These observables probe the event-by-event eccentricity fluctuations in the initial state and the contributions from the dynamic evolution of the expanding quark–gluon plasma. The characteristic features observed in previous p$_{T}$-differential anisotropic flow measurements for identified hadrons with two-particle correlations, namely the mass ordering at low p$_{T}$ and the approximate scaling with the number of constituent quarks at intermediate p$_{T}$, are similarly present in the four-particle correlations and the combinations of v$_{2}${2} and v$_{2}${4}. In addition, a particle species dependence of flow fluctuations is observed that could indicate a significant contribution from final state hadronic interactions. The comparison between experimental measurements and CoLBT model calculations, which combine the various physics processes of hydrodynamics, quark coalescence, and jet fragmentation, illustrates their importance over a wide p$_{T}$ range.[graphic not available: see fulltext

Measurement of the non-prompt D-meson fraction as a function of multiplicity in proton-proton collisions at s \sqrt{s} = 13 TeV

International audienceThe fractions of non-prompt (i.e. originating from beauty-hadron decays) D$^{0}$ and D$^{+}$ mesons with respect to the inclusive yield are measured as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The results are reported in intervals of transverse momentum (p$_{T}$) and integrated in the range 1 < p$_{T}$< 24 GeV/c. The fraction of non-prompt D$^{0}$ and D$^{+}$ mesons is found to increase slightly as a function of p$_{T}$ in all the measured multiplicity intervals, while no significant dependence on the charged-particle multiplicity is observed. In order to investigate the production and hadronisation mechanisms of charm and beauty quarks, the results are compared to PYTHIA 8 as well as EPOS 3 and EPOS 4 Monte Carlo simulations, and to calculations based on the colour glass condensate including three-pomeron fusion.[graphic not available: see fulltext

The ALICE experiment: a journey through QCD

CERN-EP-2022-227International audienceThe ALICE experiment was proposed in 1993, to study strongly-interacting matter at extreme energy densities and temperatures. This proposal entailed a comprehensive investigation of nuclear collisions at the LHC. Its physics programme initially focused on the determination of the properties of the quark–gluon plasma (QGP), a deconfined state of quarks and gluons, created in such collisions. The ALICE physics programme has been extended to cover a broader ensemble of observables related to Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of strong interactions. The experiment has studied Pb–Pb, Xe–Xe, p–Pb and pp collisions in the multi-TeV centre of mass energy range, during the Run 1–2 data-taking periods at the LHC (2009–2018). The aim of this review is to summarise the key ALICE physics results in this endeavor, and to discuss their implications on the current understanding of the macroscopic and microscopic properties of strongly-interacting matter at the highest temperatures reached in the laboratory. It will review the latest findings on the properties of the QGP created by heavy-ion collisions at LHC energies, and describe the surprising QGP-like effects in pp and p–Pb collisions. Measurements of few-body QCD interactions, and their impact in unraveling the structure of hadrons and hadronic interactions, will be discussed. ALICE results relevant for physics topics outside the realm of QCD will also be touched upon. Finally, prospects for future measurements with the ALICE detector in the context of its planned upgrades will also be briefly described

Symmetry plane correlations in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76TeV

International audienceA newly developed observable for correlations between symmetry planes, which characterize the direction of the anisotropic emission of produced particles, is measured in Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\text {NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV with ALICE. This so-called Gaussian Estimator allows for the first time the study of these quantities without the influence of correlations between different flow amplitudes. The centrality dependence of various correlations between two, three and four symmetry planes is presented. The ordering of magnitude between these symmetry plane correlations is discussed and the results of the Gaussian Estimator are compared with measurements of previously used estimators. The results utilizing the new estimator lead to significantly smaller correlations than reported by studies using the Scalar Product method. Furthermore, the obtained symmetry plane correlations are compared to state-of-the-art hydrodynamic model calculations for the evolution of heavy-ion collisions. While the model predictions provide a qualitative description of the data, quantitative agreement is not always observed, particularly for correlators with significant non-linear response of the medium to initial state anisotropies of the collision system. As these results provide unique and independent information, their usage in future Bayesian analysis can further constrain our knowledge on the properties of the QCD matter produced in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions

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

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