Measurements of Particle Production in pp Collisions in the Forward Region at the LHC

Abstract

The phase space coverage of the LHCb detector allows a unique insight into the particle production in the forward region at the LHC. Due to its unique pseudorapidity range and to the possibility of extending the measurements to low transverse momenta, the LHCb data provide important input to the understanding of particle production in a kinematical range where QCD models have large uncertainties. Measurements of the production of charged particles and of the strange phi mesons are presented. In addition the ratio of (Lambda) over bar/Lambda is studied as a function of rapidity and transverse momentum for centre-of-mass energies root s = 0.9 TeV and root s = 7.0 TeV, probing baryon number transport from the beam. Baryon strangeness suppression is evaluated through the measurement of (Lambda) over bar /K-S(0). The LHCb results are compared with lower energy measurements, phenomenological models and Monte Carlo event generators.