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

Event-by-event net-Λ\Lambda fluctuations in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC

This dissertation documents the calculation of the cumulants of the net-$\Lambda$ multiplicity distribution in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} =$ 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC so as measure, on an event-by-event basis, the effects of quantum number conservation during the phase transition of strongly interacting matter. The Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) phase diagram depicts a phase transition from a deconfined quark-gluon plasma phase into confined hadronic matter. The quark-gluon plasma is created in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions such as the heavy-ion collisions measured in ALICE, which stands for A Large Ion Collider Experiment. ALICE is a general-purpose, heavy-ion detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider which focuses on QCD, the strong-interaction sector of the Standard Model. Called the QGP for short, the quark-gluon plasma only exists for a short time (10$^{-23}$ seconds), and at LHC energies, it is only slightly bigger than the size of a proton, making direct observation impossible. Despite this, the temperature and baryon chemical potential of the QGP formation can be indirectly characterized by linking theory (thermodynamic susceptibilities calculated in lattice QCD) and phenomenological models with observables created in the collision such as event-by-event net-particle multiplicity fluctuation measurements. In heavy-ion collisions, fluctuations can be as a result of inhomogeneities in the energy and baryon number deposition in the initial state or due to thermal fluctuations in the subsequent evolution of the system. The latter represents the fluctuations under investigation, particularly in the vicinity of a phase transition. Trivial fluctuations induced by the experimental measurement process such as volume fluctuation effects and baryon number conservation also exist and they are addressed in this analysis. The observables studied and documented in this dissertation are the first two cumulants of the net-$\Lambda$ distribution. In particular, the mean and variance of the net-$\Lambda$ distribution and their ratios were calculated and compared to statistical baselines to search for deviation, if any, from Poisson behavior. The pseudorapidity dependence of the ratio of the second cumulant of the net-$\Lambda$ distribution to the sum of the mean of the $\Lambda$ and $\bar\Lambda$ distributions was also calculated to explore global conservation laws. The deviation from Poisson behavior found in the second cumulant is attributed to global baryon number conservation

Report from Young Scientist Fora at LHC

Young scientists are Early Career Scientists (ECSs) identified as researchers without a permanent contract or tenure. This report summarizes the activities of the young scientist fora created within the four major experiments at the LHC (ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb). The fora consist of the Junior Community in ALICE, the Early Career Scientist Board in ATLAS, the CMS Young Scientist Committee, and the Early Career, Gender and Diversity Office in LHCb. Also found in this report is a summary of the approaches taken by each forum to meet the needs of ECSs

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

Global polarization of ΛΛˉ\Lambda \bar \Lambda hyperons in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt {s_{NN}} = 2.76 and 5.02 TeV

International audienceThe global polarization of the $\Lambda$ and $\overline\Lambda$ hyperons is measured for Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 2.76 and 5.02 TeV recorded with the ALICE at the LHC. The results are reported differentially as a function of collision centrality and hyperon's transverse momentum ($p_{\rm{T}}$) for the range of centrality 5-50%, $0.5 < p_{\rm{T}} <5$ GeV/$c$, and rapidity $|y|<0.5$. The hyperon global polarization averaged for Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 2.76 and 5.02 TeV is found to be consistent with zero, $\langle P_{\rm{H}}\rangle$ (%) $\approx$ 0.01 $\pm$ 0.06 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.03 (syst.) in the collision centrality range 15-50%, where the largest signal is expected. The results are compatible with expectations based on an extrapolation from measurements at lower collision energies at RHIC, hydrodynamical model calculations, and empirical estimates based on collision energy dependence of directed flow, all of which predict the global polarization values at LHC energies of the order of 0.01%

Multiplicity dependence of (anti-)deuteron production in pp collisions at s\sqrt{s} = 7 TeV

In this letter, the production of deuterons and anti-deuterons in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV is studied as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity density at mid-rapidity with the ALICE detector at the LHC. Production yields are measured at mid-rapidity in five multiplicity classes and as a function of the deuteron transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$). The measurements are discussed in the context of hadron–coalescence models. The coalescence parameter B$_2$ , extracted from the measured spectra of (anti-)deuterons and primary (anti-)protons, exhibits no significant $p_{\rm T}$-dependence for $p_{\rm T}$ < 3 GeV/c , in agreement with the expectations of a simple coalescence picture. At fixed transverse momentum per nucleon, the B$_2$ parameter is found to decrease smoothly from low multiplicity pp to Pb–Pb collisions, in qualitative agreement with more elaborate coalescence models. The measured mean transverse momentum of (anti-)deuterons in pp is not reproduced by the Blast-Wave model calculations that simultaneously describe pion, kaon and proton spectra, in contrast to central Pb–Pb collisions. The ratio between the $p_{\rm T}$-integrated yield of deuterons to protons, d/p, is found to increase with the charged-particle multiplicity, as observed in inelastic pp collisions at different centre-of-mass energies. The d/p ratios are reported in a wide range, from the lowest to the highest multiplicity values measured in pp collisions at the LHC

Non-linear flow modes of identified particles in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02 TeV

The $p_{\rm{T}}$-differential non-linear flow modes, $v_{4,22}$, $v_{5,32}$, $v_{6,33}$ and $v_{6,222}$ for $\pi^{\pm}$, $\rm{K}^{\pm}$ , $\rm{K}^{0}_{S}$ , p + $\overline{\rm{p}}$, $\Lambda$ + $\overline{\Lambda}$ and $\phi$-meson have been measured for the first time at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV in Pb-Pb collisions with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The results were obtained with a multi-particle technique, correlating the identified hadrons with reference charged particles from a different pseudorapidity region. These non-linear observables probe the contribution from the second and third order initial spatial anisotropy coefficients to higher flow harmonics. All the characteristic features observed in previous $p_{\rm{T}}$-differential anisotropic flow measurements for various particle species are also present in the non-linear flow modes, i.e. increase of magnitude with increasing centrality percentile, mass ordering at low $p_{\rm{T}}$ and particle type grouping in the intermediate $p_{\rm{T}}$ range. Hydrodynamical calculations (iEBE-VISHNU) that use different initial conditions and values of shear and bulk viscosity to entropy density ratios are confronted with the data at low transverse momenta. These calculations exhibit a better agreement with the anisotropic flow coefficients than the non-linear flow modes. These observations indicate that non-linear flow modes can provide additional discriminatory power in the study of initial conditions as well as new stringent constraints to hydrodynamical calculations.The p$_{T}$-differential non-linear flow modes, v$_{4,22}$, v$_{5,32}$, v$_{6,33}$ and v$_{6,222}$ for π$^{±}$, K$^{±}$, ${\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{S}}^0$ , p + $\overline{\mathrm{p}}$, Λ + $\overline{\Lambda}$ and ϕ-meson have been measured for the first time at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV in Pb-Pb collisions with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The results were obtained with a multi-particle technique, correlating the identified hadrons with reference charged particles from a different pseudorapidity region. These non-linear observables probe the contribution from the second and third order initial spatial anisotropy coefficients to higher flow harmonics. All the characteristic features observed in previous p$_{T}$-differential anisotropic flow measurements for various particle species are also present in the non-linear flow modes, i.e. increase of magnitude with increasing centrality percentile, mass ordering at low p$_{T}$ and particle type grouping in the intermediate p$_{T}$ range. Hydrodynamical calculations (iEBE-VISHNU) that use different initial conditions and values of shear and bulk viscosity to entropy density ratios are confronted with the data at low transverse momenta. These calculations exhibit a better agreement with the anisotropic flow coefficients than the non-linear flow modes. These observations indicate that non-linear flow modes can provide additional discriminatory power in the study of initial conditions as well as new stringent constraints to hydrodynamical calculations.[graphic not available: see fulltext]The $p_{\rm{T}}$-differential non-linear flow modes, $v_{4,22}$, $v_{5,32}$, $v_{6,33}$ and $v_{6,222}$ for $\pi^{\pm}$, $\rm{K}^{\pm}$ , $\rm{K}^{0}_{S}$ , p + $\overline{\rm{p}}$, $\Lambda$ + $\overline{\Lambda}$ and $\phi$-meson have been measured for the first time at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV in Pb-Pb collisions with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The results were obtained with a multi-particle technique, correlating the identified hadrons with reference charged particles from a different pseudorapidity region. These non-linear observables probe the contribution from the second and third order initial spatial anisotropy coefficients to higher flow harmonics. All the characteristic features observed in previous $p_{\rm{T}}$-differential anisotropic flow measurements for various particle species are also present in the non-linear flow modes, i.e. increase of magnitude with increasing centrality percentile, mass ordering at low $p_{\rm{T}}$ and particle type grouping in the intermediate $p_{\rm{T}}$ range. Hydrodynamical calculations (iEBE-VISHNU) that use different initial conditions and values of shear and bulk viscosity to entropy density ratios are confronted with the data at low transverse momenta. These calculations exhibit a better agreement with the anisotropic flow coefficients than the non-linear flow modes. These observations indicate that non-linear flow modes can provide additional discriminatory power in the study of initial conditions as well as new stringent constraints to hydrodynamical calculations

Jet fragmentation transverse momentum distributions in pp and p-Pb collisions at s \sqrt{s} , sNN \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02 TeV

Jet fragmentation transverse momentum (j$_{T}$) distributions are measured in proton-proton (pp) and proton-lead (p-Pb) collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. Jets are reconstructed with the ALICE tracking detectors and electromagnetic calorimeter using the anti-k$_{T}$ algorithm with resolution parameter R = 0.4 in the pseudorapidity range |η| < 0.25. The j$_{T}$ values are calculated for charged particles inside a fixed cone with a radius R = 0.4 around the reconstructed jet axis. The measured j$_{T}$ distributions are compared with a variety of parton-shower models. Herwig and Pythia 8 based models describe the data well for the higher j$_{T}$ region, while they underestimate the lower j$_{T}$ region. The j$_{T}$ distributions are further characterised by fitting them with a function composed of an inverse gamma function for higher j$_{T}$ values (called the “wide component”), related to the perturbative component of the fragmentation process, and with a Gaussian for lower j$_{T}$ values (called the “narrow component”), predominantly connected to the hadronisation process. The width of the Gaussian has only a weak dependence on jet transverse momentum, while that of the inverse gamma function increases with increasing jet transverse momentum. For the narrow component, the measured trends are successfully described by all models except for Herwig. For the wide component, Herwig and PYTHIA 8 based models slightly underestimate the data for the higher jet transverse momentum region. These measurements set constraints on models of jet fragmentation and hadronisation

Production of charged pions, kaons, and (anti-)protons in Pb-Pb and inelastic pppp collisions at sNN\sqrt {s_{NN}} = 5.02 TeV

International audienceMid-rapidity production of $\pi^{\pm}$, $\rm{K}^{\pm}$ and ($\bar{\rm{p}}$)p measured by the ALICE experiment at the LHC, in Pb-Pb and inelastic pp collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV, is presented. The invariant yields are measured over a wide transverse momentum ($p_{\rm{T}}$) range from hundreds of MeV/$c$ up to 20 GeV/$c$. The results in Pb-Pb collisions are presented as a function of the collision centrality, in the range 0$-$90%. The comparison of the $p_{\rm{T}}$-integrated particle ratios, i.e. proton-to-pion (p/$\pi$) and kaon-to-pion (K/$\pi$) ratios, with similar measurements in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV show no significant energy dependence. Blast-wave fits of the $p_{\rm{T}}$ spectra indicate that in the most central collisions radial flow is slightly larger at 5.02 TeV with respect to 2.76 TeV. Particle ratios (p/$\pi$, K/$\pi$) as a function of $p_{\rm{T}}$ show pronounced maxima at $p_{\rm{T}}$ $\approx$ 3 GeV/$c$ in central Pb-Pb collisions. At high $p_{\rm{T}}$, particle ratios at 5.02 TeV are similar to those measured in pp collisions at the same energy and in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV. Using the pp reference spectra measured at the same collision energy of 5.02 TeV, the nuclear modification factors for the different particle species are derived. Within uncertainties, the nuclear modification factor is particle species independent for high $p_{\rm{T}}$ and compatible with measurements at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV. The results are compared to state-of-the-art model calculations, which are found to describe the observed trends satisfactorily

Multiplicity dependence of (multi-)strange hadron production in proton-proton collisions at s\sqrt{s} = 13 TeV

The production rates and the transverse momentum distribution of strange hadrons at mid-rapidity ($\left| y\right| < 0.5$) are measured in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV as a function of the charged particle multiplicity, using the ALICE detector at the LHC. The production rates of $\mathrm{K}^{0}_{S}$, $\Lambda$, $\Xi$, and $\Omega$ increase with the multiplicity faster than what is reported for inclusive charged particles. The increase is found to be more pronounced for hadrons with a larger strangeness content. Possible auto-correlations between the charged particles and the strange hadrons are evaluated by measuring the event-activity with charged particle multiplicity estimators covering different pseudorapidity regions. When comparing to lower energy results, the yields of strange hadrons are found to depend only on the mid-rapidity charged particle multiplicity. Several features of the data are reproduced qualitatively by general purpose QCD Monte Carlo models that take into account the effect of densely-packed QCD strings in high multiplicity collisions. However, none of the tested models reproduce the data quantitatively. This work corroborates and extends the ALICE findings on strangeness production in proton-proton collisions at 7 TeV