Light-flavour hadron production in p–Pb collisions measured with the ALICE detector at the LHC

Abstract

Abstract The LHC has recently provided p–Pb collisions at s NN = 5.02 TeV which play a fundamental role in the understanding of cold nuclear matter effects in heavy ion collisions, providing essential information to discriminate between initial and final state effects. Results from two-particle correlation measurements have revealed an unexpected double ridge structure in these collisions, which could be interpreted either as a sign of collective flow or as an initial state effect related to saturation phenomena. In this paper we present results on identified particles as a function of multiplicity, to investigate possible indications of radial flow. Charged and weakly decaying neutral particles are reconstructed in the ALICE central barrel over a wide momentum range and identified by employing different subsystems and techniques. Transverse momentum spectra of primary charged particles and identified light flavoured hadrons have been measured. The yields, average p T and particle ratios are reported as functions of multiplicity, and compared to other collision systems and theoretical models.