Abstract A study of multiplicity and pseudorapidity distributions of inclusive photons measured in pp and p–Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon–nucleon collision of ...$$\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}~=~5.02$$ s NN = 5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector in the forward pseudorapidity region 2.3 $$<~\eta _\textrm{lab} ~<$$ < η lab < 3.9 is presented. Measurements in p–Pb collisions are reported for two beam configurations in which the directions of the proton and lead ion beam were reversed. The pseudorapidity distributions in p–Pb collisions are obtained for seven centrality classes which are defined based on different event activity estimators, i.e., the charged-particle multiplicity measured at midrapidity as well as the energy deposited in a calorimeter at beam rapidity. The inclusive photon multiplicity distributions for both pp and p–Pb collisions are described by double negative binomial distributions. The pseudorapidity distributions of inclusive photons are compared to those of charged particles at midrapidity in pp collisions and for different centrality classes in p–Pb collisions. The results are compared to predictions from various Monte Carlo event generators. None of the generators considered in this paper reproduces the inclusive photon multiplicity distributions in the reported multiplicity range. The pseudorapidity distributions are, however, better described by the same generators.
Abstract The production of π ± , K ± , and p ¯ p $$ \left(\overline{\textrm{p}}\right)\textrm{p} $$ is measured in pp collisions at s $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 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 p + p ¯ / π + + π − $$ \left(\textrm{p}+\overline{\textrm{p}}\right)/\left({\uppi}^{+}+{\uppi}^{-}\right) $$ 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.
Abstract The measurement of the production of charm jets, identified by the presence of a D0 meson in the jet constituents, is presented in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of s $$ ...\sqrt{s} $$ = 5.02 and 13 TeV with the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC. The D0 mesons were reconstructed from their hadronic decay D0 → K − π + and the respective charge conjugate. Jets were reconstructed from D0-meson candidates and charged particles using the anti-k T algorithm, in the jet transverse momentum range 5 < p T,chjet < 50 GeV/c, pseudorapidity |η jet| < 0.9 − R, and with the jet resolution parameters R = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6. The distribution of the jet momentum fraction carried by a D0 meson along the jet axis z ‖ ch $$ \left({z}_{\Big\Vert}^{\textrm{ch}}\right) $$ was measured in the range 0.4 < z ‖ ch $$ {z}_{\Big\Vert}^{\textrm{ch}} $$ < 1.0 in four ranges of the jet transverse momentum. Comparisons of results for different collision energies and jet resolution parameters are also presented. The measurements are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo event generators based on leading-order and next-to-leading-order perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations. A generally good description of the main features of the data is obtained in spite of a few discrepancies at low p T,chjet. Measurements were also done for R = 0.3 at s $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 5.02 and are shown along with their comparisons to theoretical predictions in an appendix to this paper.
Abstract Production of inclusive charmonia in pp collisions at center-of-mass energy of s $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 13 TeV and p–Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of s NN $$ ...\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} $$ = 8.16 TeV is studied as a function of charged-particle pseudorapidity density with ALICE. Ground and excited charmonium states (J/ψ, ψ(2S)) are measured from their dimuon decays in the interval of rapidity in the center-of-mass frame 2.5 < y cms < 4.0 for pp collisions, and 2.03 < y cms < 3.53 and −4.46 < y cms < −2.96 for p–Pb collisions. The charged-particle pseudorapidity density is measured around midrapidity (|η| < 1.0). In pp collisions, the measured charged-particle multiplicity extends to about six times the average value, while in p-Pb collisions at forward (backward) rapidity a multiplicity corresponding to about three (four) times the average is reached. The ψ(2S) yield increases with the charged-particle pseudorapidity density. The ratio of ψ(2S) over J/ψ yield does not show a significant multiplicity dependence in either colliding system, suggesting a similar behavior of J/ψ and ψ(2S) yields with respect to charged-particle pseudorapidity density. Results for the ψ(2S) yield and its ratio with respect to J/ψ agree with available model calculations.
Abstract The first measurement of the e+e − pair production at low lepton pair transverse momentum (p T,ee) and low invariant mass (m ee) in non-central Pb–Pb collisions at s NN $$ ...{\sqrt{s}}_{\textrm{NN}} $$ = 5.02 TeV at the LHC is presented. The dielectron production is studied with the ALICE detector at midrapidity (|η e | < 0.8) as a function of invariant mass (0.4 ≤ m ee < 2.7 GeV/c 2) in the 50–70% and 70–90% centrality classes for p T,ee < 0.1 GeV/c, and as a function of p T,ee in three m ee intervals in the most peripheral Pb–Pb collisions. Below a p T,ee of 0.1 GeV/c, a clear excess of e+e − pairs is found compared to the expectations from known hadronic sources and predictions of thermal radiation from the medium. The m ee excess spectra are reproduced, within uncertainties, by different predictions of the photon–photon production of dielectrons, where the photons originate from the extremely strong electromagnetic fields generated by the highly Lorentz-contracted Pb nuclei. Lowest-order quantum electrodynamic (QED) calculations, as well as a model that takes into account the impact-parameter dependence of the average transverse momentum of the photons, also provide a good description of the p T,ee spectra. The measured p T , ee 2 $$ \sqrt{\left\langle {p}_{\textrm{T},\textrm{ee}}^2\right\rangle } $$ of the excess p T,ee spectrum in peripheral Pb–Pb collisions is found to be comparable to the values observed previously at RHIC in a similar phase-space region.
Abstract Two-particle correlations with $$\textrm{K}^{0}_\mathrm{{S}}$$ K S 0 , $$\Lambda $$ Λ / $$\overline{\Lambda }$$ Λ ¯ , and charged hadrons as trigger particles in the transverse momentum ...range $$8{<}p_{{\textrm{T}},{\textrm{trig}}}{<}16$$ 8 < p T , trig < 16 GeV/ $$c$$ c , and associated charged particles within $$1{<}p_{{\textrm{T}},{\textrm{assoc}}}{<}8$$ 1 < p T , assoc < 8 GeV/ $$c$$ c , are studied at midrapidity in pp and central Pb–Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon–nucleon collision $$\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}~=~5.02$$ s NN = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. After subtracting the contributions of the flow background, the per-trigger yields are extracted on both the near and away sides, and the ratio in Pb–Pb collisions with respect to pp collisions ( $$I_{\textrm{AA}}$$ I AA ) is computed. The per-trigger yield in Pb–Pb collisions on the away side is strongly suppressed to the level of $$I_{\textrm{AA}}$$ I AA $$\approx 0.6$$ ≈ 0.6 for $$p_{{\textrm{T}},{\textrm{assoc}}}>3$$ p T , assoc > 3 GeV/ $$c$$ c as expected from strong in-medium energy loss, while an enhancement develops at low $$p_{{\textrm{T}},{\textrm{assoc}}}$$ p T , assoc on both the near and away sides, reaching $$I_{\textrm{AA}}$$ I AA $$\approx 1.8$$ ≈ 1.8 and 2.7 respectively. These findings are in good agreement with previous ALICE measurements from two-particle correlations triggered by neutral pions ( $$\pi ^{0}$$ π 0 –h) and charged hadrons (h–h) in Pb–Pb collisions at $$\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}~=~2.76$$ s NN = 2.76 TeV. Moreover, the correlations with $$\textrm{K}^{0}_\mathrm{{S}}$$ K S 0 mesons and $$\Lambda $$ Λ / $$\overline{\Lambda }$$ Λ ¯ baryons as trigger particles are compared to those of inclusive charged hadrons. The results are compared with the predictions of Monte Carlo models.
Abstract The transverse-momentum $$(p_{\textrm{T}})$$ ( p T ) spectra of K $$^{*}(892)^{0}~$$ ∗ ( 892 ) 0 and $$\mathrm {\phi (1020)}~$$ ϕ ( 1020 ) measured with the ALICE detector up to ...$$p_{\textrm{T}} $$ p T = 16 GeV/c in the rapidity range $$-1.2< y < 0.3,$$ - 1.2 < y < 0.3 , in p–Pb collisions at the center-of-mass energy per nucleon–nucleon collision $$\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} = 5.02$$ s NN = 5.02 TeV are presented as a function of charged particle multiplicity and rapidity. The measured $$p_{\textrm{T}} $$ p T distributions show a dependence on both multiplicity and rapidity at low $$p_{\textrm{T}} $$ p T whereas no significant dependence is observed at high $$p_{\textrm{T}} $$ p T . A rapidity dependence is observed in the $$p_{\textrm{T}} $$ p T -integrated yield (dN/dy), whereas the mean transverse momentum $$\left( \langle p_{\textrm{T}} \rangle \right) $$ ⟨ p T ⟩ shows a flat behavior as a function of rapidity. The rapidity asymmetry ( $$Y_{\textrm{asym}}$$ Y asym ) at low $$p_{\textrm{T}} $$ p T (< 5 GeV/c) is more significant for higher multiplicity classes. At high $$p_{\textrm{T}} $$ p T , no significant rapidity asymmetry is observed in any of the multiplicity classes. Both K $$^{*}(892)^{0}~$$ ∗ ( 892 ) 0 and $$\mathrm {\phi (1020)}~$$ ϕ ( 1020 ) show similar $$Y_{\textrm{asym}}$$ Y asym . The nuclear modification factor $$(Q_{\textrm{CP}})$$ ( Q CP ) as a function of $$p_{\textrm{T}} $$ p T shows a Cronin-like enhancement at intermediate $$p_{\textrm{T}} $$ p T , which is more prominent at higher rapidities (Pb-going direction) and in higher multiplicity classes. At high $$p_{\textrm{T}}$$ p T (> 5 GeV/ $$c$$ c ), the $$Q_{\textrm{CP}}$$ Q CP values are greater than unity and no significant rapidity dependence is observed.
Abstract The first measurements of elliptic flow of π ± , K ± , p + p ¯ $$ \textrm{p}+\overline{\textrm{p}} $$ , K S 0 $$ {\textrm{K}}_{\textrm{S}}^0 $$ , Λ + Λ ¯ $$ \Lambda +\overline{\Lambda} $$ , ...ϕ, Ξ − + Ξ ¯ + $$ {\Xi}^{-}+{\overline{\Xi}}^{+} $$ , and Ω − + Ω ¯ + $$ {\varOmega}^{-}+{\overline{\varOmega}}^{+} $$ using multiparticle cumulants in Pb–Pb collisions at s NN $$ \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} $$ = 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.
Abstract The production of the W ± bosons measured in p–Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon–nucleon collision s NN $$ \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} $$ = 8.16 TeV and Pb–Pb collisions at s ...NN $$ \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} $$ = 5.02 TeV with ALICE at the LHC is presented. The W ± bosons are measured via their muonic decay channel, with the muon reconstructed in the pseudorapidity region −4 < η lab μ $$ {\eta}_{\textrm{lab}}^{\mu } $$ < −2.5 with transverse momentum p T μ $$ {p}_{\textrm{T}}^{\mu } $$ > 10 GeV/c. While in Pb–Pb collisions the measurements are performed in the forward (2.5 < y cms μ $$ {y}_{\textrm{cms}}^{\mu } $$ < 4) rapidity region, in p–Pb collisions, where the centre-of-mass frame is boosted with respect to the laboratory frame, the measurements are performed in the backward (−4.46 < y cms μ $$ {y}_{\textrm{cms}}^{\mu } $$ < −2.96) and forward (2.03 < y cms μ $$ {y}_{\textrm{cms}}^{\mu } $$ < 3.53) rapidity regions. The W − and W+ production cross sections, lepton-charge asymmetry, and nuclear modification factors are evaluated as a function of the muon rapidity. In order to study the production as a function of the p–Pb collision centrality, the production cross sections of the W − and W+ bosons are combined and normalised to the average number of binary nucleon–nucleon collision 〈N coll〉. In Pb–Pb collisions, the same measurements are presented as a function of the collision centrality. Study of the binary scaling of the W ± -boson cross sections in p–Pb and Pb–Pb collisions is also reported. The results are compared with perturbative QCD calculations, with and without nuclear modifications of the Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs), as well as with available data at the LHC. Significant deviations from the theory expectations are found in the two collision systems, indicating that the measurements can provide additional constraints for the determination of nuclear PDFs and in particular of the light-quark distributions.
Abstract Hadronic resonances are used to probe the hadron gas produced in the late stage of heavy-ion collisions since they decay on the same timescale, of the order of 1–10 fm/c, as the decoupling ...time of the system. In the hadron gas, (pseudo)elastic scatterings among the products of resonances that decayed before the kinetic freeze-out and regeneration processes counteract each other, the net effect depending on the resonance lifetime, the duration of the hadronic phase, and the hadronic cross sections at play. In this context, the $$\Sigma (1385)^{\pm }$$ Σ ( 1385 ) ± particle is of particular interest as models predict that regeneration dominates over rescattering despite its relatively short lifetime of about 5.5 fm/c. The first measurement of the $$\Sigma (1385)^{\pm }$$ Σ ( 1385 ) ± resonance production at midrapidity in Pb–Pb collisions at $$\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}= 5.02$$ s NN = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector is presented in this Letter. The resonances are reconstructed via their hadronic decay channel, $$\Lambda \pi $$ Λ π , as a function of the transverse momentum ( $$p_\textrm{T}$$ p T ) and the collision centrality. The results are discussed in comparison with the measured yield of pions and with expectations from the statistical hadronization model as well as commonly employed event generators, including PYTHIA8/Angantyr and EPOS3 coupled to the UrQMD hadronic cascade afterburner. None of the models can describe the data. For $$\Sigma (1385)^{\pm }$$ Σ ( 1385 ) ± , a similar behaviour as $$\textrm{K}^{*} (892)^{0}$$ K ∗ ( 892 ) 0 is observed in data unlike the predictions of EPOS3 with afterburner.
