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

Analysis of the apparent nuclear modification in peripheral Pb–Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV

International audienceCharged-particle spectra at midrapidity are measured in Pb–Pb collisions at the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon–nucleon pair sNN=5.02 TeV and presented in centrality classes ranging from most central (0–5%) to most peripheral (95–100%) collisions. Possible medium effects are quantified using the nuclear modification factor ( RAA ) by comparing the measured spectra with those from proton–proton collisions, scaled by the number of independent nucleon–nucleon collisions obtained from a Glauber model. At large transverse momenta ( 8<pT<20GeV/c ), the average RAA is found to increase from about 0.15 in 0–5% central to a maximum value of about 0.8 in 75–85% peripheral collisions, beyond which it falls off strongly to below 0.2 for the most peripheral collisions. Furthermore, RAA initially exhibits a positive slope as a function of pT in the 8–20 GeV/c interval, while for collisions beyond the 80% class the slope is negative. To reduce uncertainties related to event selection and normalization, we also provide the ratio of RAA in adjacent centrality intervals. Our results in peripheral collisions are consistent with a PYTHIA-based model without nuclear modification, demonstrating that biases caused by the event selection and collision geometry can lead to the apparent suppression in peripheral collisions. This explains the unintuitive observation that RAA is below unity in peripheral Pb–Pb, but equal to unity in minimum-bias p–Pb collisions despite similar charged-particle multiplicities

Anisotropic flow of identified particles in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=5.02 {\sqrt{s}}_{\mathrm{NN}}=5.02 TeV

The elliptic (v$_{2}$), triangular (v$_{3}$), and quadrangular (v$_{4}$) flow coefficients of π$^{±}$, K$^{±}$, $\mathrm{p}+\overline{\mathrm{p}},\kern0.5em \Lambda +\overline{\Lambda},\kern0.5em {\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{S}}^0$ , and the ϕ-meson are measured in Pb-Pb collisions at ${\sqrt{s}}_{\mathrm{NN}}=5.02$ TeV. Results obtained with the scalar product method are reported for the rapidity range |y| < 0.5 as a function of transverse momentum, p$_{T}$, at different collision centrality intervals between 0–70%, including ultra-central (0–1%) collisions for π$^{±}$, K$^{±}$, and $\mathrm{p}+\overline{\mathrm{p}}$ . For p$_{T}$ < 3 GeV/c, the flow coefficients exhibit a particle mass dependence. At intermediate transverse momenta (3 < p$_{T}$ < 8–10 GeV/c), particles show an approximate grouping according to their type (i.e., mesons and baryons). The ϕ-meson v$_{2}$, which tests both particle mass dependence and type scaling, follows $\mathrm{p}+\overline{\mathrm{p}}$ v$_{2}$ at low p$_{T}$ and π$^{±}$ v$_{2}$ at intermediate p$_{T}$. The evolution of the shape of v$_{n}$(p$_{T}$) as a function of centrality and harmonic number n is studied for the various particle species. Flow coefficients of π$^{±}$, K$^{±}$, and $\mathrm{p}+\overline{\mathrm{p}}$ for p$_{T}$ < 3 GeV/c are compared to iEBE-VISHNU and MUSIC hydrodynamical calculations coupled to a hadronic cascade model (UrQMD). The iEBE-VISHNU calculations describe the results fairly well for p$_{T}$ < 2.5 GeV/c, while MUSIC calculations reproduce the measurements for p$_{T}$ < 1 GeV/c. A comparison to v$_{n}$ coefficients measured in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=2.76$ TeV is also provided

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

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

Energy dependence and fluctuations of anisotropic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=5.02 \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02 and 2.76 TeV

International audienceMeasurements of anisotropic flow coefficients with two- and multi-particle cumulants for inclusive charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ and 2.76 TeV are reported in the pseudorapidity range |η| < 0.8 and transverse momentum 0.2 < p$_{T}$ < 50 GeV/c. The full data sample collected by the ALICE detector in 2015 (2010), corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 12.7 (2.0) μb$^{−1}$ in the centrality range 0-80%, is analysed. Flow coefficients up to the sixth flow harmonic (v$_{6}$) are reported and a detailed comparison among results at the two energies is carried out. The p$_{T}$ dependence of anisotropic flow coefficients and its evolution with respect to centrality and harmonic number n are investigated. An approximate power-law scaling of the form v$_{n}$(p$_{T}$) ∼ p_{T}^{n}^{/3} is observed for all flow harmonics at low p$_{T}$ (0.2 < p$_{T}$ < 3 GeV/c). At the same time, the ratios v$_{n}$/v_{m}^{n}^{/ }^{m} are observed to be essentially independent of p$_{T}$ for most centralities up to about p$_{T}$ = 10 GeV/c. Analysing the differences among higher-order cumulants of elliptic flow (v$_{2}$), which have different sensitivities to flow fluctuations, a measurement of the standardised skewness of the event-by-event v$_{2}$ distribution P(v$_{2}$) is reported and constraints on its higher moments are provided. The Elliptic Power distribution is used to parametrise P(v$_{2}$), extracting its parameters from fits to cumulants. The measurements are compared to different model predictions in order to discriminate among initial-state models and to constrain the temperature dependence of the shear viscosity to entropy-density ratio

Transverse momentum spectra and nuclear modification factors of charged particles in Xe-Xe collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.44 TeV

International audienceTransverse momentum ( pT ) spectra of charged particles at mid-pseudorapidity in Xe–Xe collisions at sNN=5.44TeV measured with the ALICE apparatus at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. The kinematic range 0.1510 GeV/c . The centrality dependence of the ratio of the average transverse momentum 〈pT〉 in Xe–Xe collisions over Pb–Pb collision at s=5.02 TeV is compared to hydrodynamical model calculations

Λc+\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^+ production in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=5.02\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02 TeVUC

A measurement of the production of prompt $\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^+$ baryons in Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC is reported. The $\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^+$ and $\bar{\Lambda_\mathrm{c}}^-$ were reconstructed at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) via the hadronic decay channel $\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^+$→pK$_{\rm S}^0$ (and charge conjugate) in the transverse momentum and centrality intervals 6 < $p_{\rm T}$ < 12 GeV/ c and 0–80%. The $\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^+$/D$^0$ ratio, which is sensitive to the charm quark hadronisation mechanisms in the medium, is measured and found to be larger than the ratio measured in minimum-bias pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV and in p–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV. In particular, the values in p–Pb and Pb–Pb collisions differ by about two standard deviations of the combined statistical and systematic uncertainties in the common $p_{\rm T}$ interval covered by the measurements in the two collision systems. The $\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^+$/D$^0$ ratio is also compared with model calculations including different implementations of charm quark hadronisation. The measured ratio is reproduced by models implementing a pure coalescence scenario, while adding a fragmentation contribution leads to an underestimation. The $\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^+$ nuclear modification factor, $R_{\rm AA}$, is also presented. The measured values of the $R_{\rm AA}$ of $\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^+$, D$_{\rm s}^+$ and non-strange D mesons are compatible within the combined statistical and systematic uncertainties. They show, however, a hint of a hierarchy ($R_{\rm AA}^{D^0}$ < $R_{\rm AA}^{D_\mathrm{s}^+}$ < $R_{\rm AA}^{\Lambda_\mathrm{c}^+}$) , conceivable with a contribution from coalescence mechanisms to charm hadron formation in the medium

Measurement of prompt D0^{0}, D+^{+}, D∗+^{*+}, and DS+ {\mathrm{D}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{+} production in p–Pb collisions at sNN \sqrt{{\mathrm{s}}_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02 TeV

International audienceThe measurement of the production of prompt D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, D$^{*+}$, and ${\mathrm{D}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{+}$ mesons in proton–lead (p–Pb) collisions at the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 292 ± 11 μb$^{−1}$, are reported. Differential production cross sections are measured at mid-rapidity (−0.96 < y$_{cms}$< 0.04) as a function of transverse momentum (p$_{T}$) in the intervals 0 < p$_{T}$< 36 GeV/c for D$^{0}$, 1 < p$_{T}$< 36 GeV/c for D$^{+}$ and D$^{*+}$, and 2 < p$_{T}$< 24 GeV/c for D$^{+}$ mesons. For each species, the nuclear modification factor R$_{pPb}$ is calculated as a function of p$_{T}$ using a proton-proton (pp) ref- erence measured at the same collision energy. The results are compatible with unity in the whole p$_{T}$ range. The average of the non-strange D mesons R$_{pPb}$ is compared with theoretical model predictions that include initial-state effects and parton transport model predictions. The p$_{T}$ dependence of the D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, and D$^{*+}$ nuclear modification factors is also reported in the interval 1 < p$_{T}$< 36 GeV/c as a function of the collision centrality, and the central-to-peripheral ratios are computed from the D-meson yields measured in different centrality classes. The results are further compared with charged-particle measurements and a similar trend is observed in all the centrality classes. The ratios of the p$_{T}$-differential cross sections of D$^{0}$, D$^{+}$, D$^{*+}$, and ${\mathrm{D}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{+}$ mesons are also reported. The ${\mathrm{D}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{+}$ and D$^{+}$ yields are compared as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity for several p$_{T}$ intervals. No modification in the relative abundances of the four species is observed with respect to pp collisions within the statistical and systematic uncertainties

Azimuthal correlations of prompt D mesons with charged particles in pp and p–Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02 TeV

International audienceThe measurement of the azimuthal-correlation function of prompt D mesons with charged particles in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} =5.02\ \hbox {TeV}$ and p–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02\ \hbox {TeV}$ with the ALICE detector at the LHC is reported. The $\mathrm{D}^{0}$, $\mathrm{D}^{+}$, and $\mathrm{D}^{*+}$ mesons, together with their charge conjugates, were reconstructed at midrapidity in the transverse momentum interval $3 0.3\ \hbox {GeV}/c$ and pseudorapidity $|\eta | < 0.8$. The properties of the correlation peaks appearing in the near- and away-side regions (for $\Delta \varphi \approx 0$ and $\Delta \varphi \approx \pi$, respectively) were extracted via a fit to the azimuthal correlation functions. The shape of the correlation functions and the near- and away-side peak features are found to be consistent in pp and p–Pb collisions, showing no modifications due to nuclear effects within uncertainties. The results are compared with predictions from Monte Carlo simulations performed with the PYTHIA, POWHEG+PYTHIA, HERWIG, and EPOS 3 event generators