Forward-backward multiplicity correlations in pp collisions at root s=0.9, 2.76 and 7 TeV

The strength of forward-backward (FB) multiplicity correlations is measured by the ALICE detector in proton-proton (pp) collisions at = 0.9, 2.76 and 7 TeV. The measurement is performed in the central pseudorapidity region (|eta| < 0.8) for the transverse momentum p (T) > 0.3 GeV/c. Two separate pseudorapidity windows of width (delta eta) ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 are chosen symmetrically around eta = 0. The multiplicity correlation strength (b (corr)) is studied as a function of the pseudorapidity gap (eta (gap)) between the two windows as well as the width of these windows. The correlation strength is found to decrease with increasing eta (gap) and shows a non-linear increase with delta eta. A sizable increase of the correlation strength with the collision energy, which cannot be explained exclusively by the increase of the mean multiplicity inside the windows, is observed. The correlation coefficient is also measured for multiplicities in different configurations of two azimuthal sectors selected within the symmetric FB eta-windows. Two different contributions, the short-range (SR) and the long-range (LR), are observed. The energy dependence of b (corr) is found to be weak for the SR component while it is strong for the LR component. Moreover, the correlation coefficient is studied for particles belonging to various transverse momentum intervals chosen to have the same mean multiplicity. Both SR and LR contributions to b (corr) are found to increase with p (T) in this case. Results are compared to PYTHIA and PHOJET event generators and to a string-based phenomenological model. The observed dependencies of b (corr) add new constraints on phenomenological models

Measurement of charm and beauty production at central rapidity versus charged-particle multiplicity in proton-proton collisions at root s=7 TeV

Prompt D meson and non-prompt J/ψ yields are studied as a function of the multiplicity of charged particles produced in inelastic proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s√=7 TeV. The results are reported as a ratio between yields in a given multiplicity interval normalised to the multiplicity-integrated ones (relative yields). They are shown as a function of the multiplicity of charged particles normalised to the average value for inelastic collisions (relative charged-particle multiplicity). D0, D+ and D*+ mesons are measured in five p T intervals from 1 GeV/c to 20 GeV/c and for |y| < 0.5 via their hadronic decays. The D-meson relative yield is found to increase with increasing charged-particle multiplicity. For events with multiplicity six times higher than the average multiplicity of inelastic collisions, a yield enhancement of a factor about 15 relative to the multiplicity-integrated yield in inelastic collisions is observed. The yield enhancement is independent of transverse momentum within the uncertainties of the measurement. The D0-meson relative yield is also measured as a function of the relative multiplicity at forward pseudo-rapidity. The non-prompt J/ψ, i.e. the B hadron, contribution to the inclusive J/ψ production is measured in the di-electron decay channel at central rapidity

Measurement of jet quenching with semi-inclusive hadron-jet distributions in central Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV

We report the measurement of a new observable of jet quenching in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=2.76 TeV, based on the semi-inclusive rate of charged jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high-p T) charged hadron trigger. Jets are measured using collinear-safe jet reconstruction with infrared cutoff for jet constituents of 0.15 GeV, for jet resolution parameters R = 0.2, 0.4 and 0.5. Underlying event background is corrected at the event-ensemble level, without imposing bias on the jet population. Recoil jet spectra are reported in the range 20 < p T, jet ch  < 100 GeV. Reference distributions for pp collisions at s√=2.76 TeV are calculated using Monte Carlo and NLO pQCD methods, which are validated by comparing with measurements in pp collisions at s√=7 TeV. The recoil jet yield in central Pb-Pb collisions is found to be suppressed relative to that in pp collisions. No significant medium-induced broadening of the intra-jet energy profile is observed within 0.5 radians relative to the recoil jet axis. The angular distribution of the recoil jet yield relative to the trigger axis is found to be similar in central Pb-Pb and pp collisions, with no significant medium-induced acoplanarity observed. Large-angle jet deflection, which may provide a direct probe of the nature of the quasi-particles in hot QCD matter, is explored

Inclusive, prompt and non-prompt J/psi production at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at root S-NN=2.76 TeV

The transverse momentum (p T) dependence of the nuclear modification factor R AA and the centrality dependence of the average transverse momentum 〈p T〉 for inclusive J/ψ have been measured with ALICE for Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=2.76 TeV in the e+e− decay channel at mid-rapidity (|y| < 0.8). The 〈p T〉 is significantly smaller than the one observed for pp collisions at the same centre-of-mass energy. Consistently, an increase of R AA is observed towards low p T. These observations might be indicative of a sizable contribution of charm quark coalescence to the J/ψ production. Additionally, the fraction of non-prompt J/ψ from beauty hadron decays, f B, has been determined in the region 1.5 < p T < 10 GeV/c in three centrality intervals. No significant centrality dependence of f B is observed. Finally, the R AA of non-prompt J/ψ is discussed and compared with model predictions. The nuclear modification in the region 4.5 < p T < 10 GeV/c is found to be stronger than predicted by most models

Centrality dependence of high-pT D meson suppression in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV

The nuclear modification factor, R AA, of the prompt charmed mesons D0, D+ and D∗+, and their antiparticles, was measured with the ALICE detector in Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy sNN−−−−√=2.76 TeV in two transverse momentum intervals, 5 < p T < 8 GeV/c and 8 < p T < 16 GeV/c, and in six collision centrality classes. The R AA shows a maximum suppression of a factor of 5-6 in the 10% most central collisions. The suppression and its centrality dependence are compatible within uncertainties with those of charged pions. A comparison with the R AA of non-prompt J/ψ from B meson decays, measured by the CMS Collaboration, hints at a larger suppression of D mesons in the most central collisions

Measurement of pion, kaon and proton production in proton-proton collisions at root s=7 TeV

The measurement of primary pi(+/-), K-+/-, p and (p) over bar production at mid-rapidity (|y| &lt; 0.5) in proton-proton collisions at root s = 7 TeV performed with a large ion collider experiment at the large hadron collider (LHC) is reported. Particle identification is performed using the specific ionisation energy-loss and time-of-flight information, the ring-imaging Cherenkov technique and the kink-topology identification of weak decays of charged kaons. Transverse momentum spectra are measured from 0.1 up to 3 GeV/c for pions, from 0.2 up to 6 GeV/c for kaons and from 0.3 up to 6 GeV/c for protons. The measured spectra and particle ratios are compared with quantum chromodynamics-inspired models, tuned to reproduce also the earlier measurements performed at the LHC. Furthermore, the integrated particle yields and ratios as well as the average transverse momenta are compared with results at lower collision energies

Centrality dependence of inclusive J/ψ production in p-Pb collisions at √sNN=5.02 TeV

We present a measurement of inclusive J/ψ production in p-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV as a function of the centrality of the collision, as estimated from the energy deposited in the Zero Degree Calorimeters. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector down to zero transverse momentum, p T, in the backward (−4.46 &lt; y cms &lt; −2.96) and forward (2.03 &lt; y cms &lt; 3.53) rapidity intervals in the dimuon decay channel and in the mid-rapidity region (−1.37 &lt; y cms &lt; 0.43) in the dielectron decay channel. The backward and forward rapidity intervals correspond to the Pb-going and p-going direction, respectively. The p T-differential J/ψ production cross section at backward and forward rapidity is measured for several centrality classes, together with the corresponding average p T and p T2 values. The nuclear modification factor is presented as a function of centrality for the three rapidity intervals, and as a function of p T for several centrality classes at backward and forward rapidity. At mid- and forward rapidity, the J/ψ yield is suppressed up to 40% compared to that in pp interactions scaled by the number of binary collisions. The degree of suppression increases towards central p-Pb collisions at forward rapidity, and with decreasing p T of the J/ψ. At backward rapidity, the nuclear modification factor is compatible with unity within the total uncertainties, with an increasing trend from peripheral to central p-Pb collisions

Centrality dependence of particle production in p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02TeV

We report measurements of the primary charged-particle pseudorapidity density and transverse momentum distributions in p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02TeV and investigate their correlation with experimental observables sensitive to the centrality of the collision. Centrality classes are defined by using different event-activity estimators, i.e., charged-particle multiplicities measured in three different pseudorapidity regions as well as the energy measured at beam rapidity (zero degree). The procedures to determine the centrality, quantified by the number of participants (Npart) or the number of nucleon-nucleon binary collisions (Ncoll) are described. We show that, in contrast to Pb-Pb collisions, in p−Pb collisions large multiplicity fluctuations together with the small range of participants available generate a dynamical bias in centrality classes based on particle multiplicity. We propose to use the zero-degree energy, which we expect not to introduce a dynamical bias, as an alternative event-centrality estimator. Based on zero-degree energy-centrality classes, the Npart dependence of particle production is studied. Under the assumption that the multiplicity measured in the Pb-going rapidity region scales with the number of Pb participants, an approximate independence of the multiplicity per participating nucleon measured at mid-rapidity of the number of participating nucleons is observed. Furthermore, at high-pT the p−Pb spectra are found to be consistent with the pp spectra scaled by Ncoll for all centrality classes. Our results represent valuable input for the study of the event-activity dependence of hard probes in p−Pb collisions and, hence, help to establish baselines for the interpretation of the Pb-Pb data

Coherent rho(0) photoproduction in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV

We report the first measurement at the LHC of coherent photoproduction of ρ0 mesons in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions. The invariant mass and transverse momentum distributions for ρ0 production are studied in the π+π− decay channel at mid-rapidity. The production cross section in the rapidity range |y|&lt;0.5 is found to be dσ/dy=425±10(stat.) +42−50(sys.) mb. Coherent ρ0 production is studied with and without requirement of nuclear breakup, and the fractional yields for various breakup scenarios are presented. The results are compared with those from lower energies and with model predictions

Flow Dominance and Factorization of Transverse Momentum Correlations in Pb--Pb Collisions at the LHC

We present the first measurement of the two- particle transverse momentum differential correlation function, P2≡⟨ΔpTΔpT⟩/⟨pT⟩2, in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV. Results for P2 are reported as a function of the relative pseudorapidity (Δη) and azimuthal angle (Δφ) between two particles for different collision centralities. The Δϕ dependence is found to be largely independent of Δη for |Δη|≥0.9. In the 5% most central Pb-Pb collisions, the two- particle transverse momentum correlation function exhibits a clear double-hump structure around Δφ=π (i.e., on the away side), which is not observed in number correlations in the same centrality range, and thus provides an indication of the dominance of triangular flow in this collision centrality. Fourier decompositions of P2, studied as a function of the collision centrality, show that correlations at |Δη|≥0.9 can be well reproduced by a flow ansatz based on the notion that measured transverse momentum correlations are strictly determined by the collective motion of the system