Abstract
While groundbreaking measurements on the properties of strongly interacting matter in p+p, p+A and A+A collisions at the LHC are being performed, it is clear that many important questions in heavy-ion physics will remain unanswered in this first phase of beam times up to 2017. The ALICE collaboration is setting up a program of detector upgrades to be installed in the LHC shutdown planned for ≈2018, to address the new scientific challenges. We will discuss examples of the scientific frontiers and upgrade projects under study for the ALICE experiment.
Highlights
Introduction: the physics frontiers for ALICEIn the first years of operation ALICE has demonstrated its excellent capabilities to measure highenergy nuclear collisions at the LHC, delivering exciting results on elliptic flow, which appears to be even larger than at RHIC [1], strong quenching of high momentum hadrons including first measurements using identified open charm mesons [2] and intriguing results on the centrality dependence of charmonium production [3], to just name a few examples
While groundbreaking measurements on the properties of strongly interacting matter in p+p, p+A and A+A collisions at the LHC are being performed, it is clear that many important questions in heavy-ion physics will remain unanswered in this first phase of beam times up to 2017
It is known from light hadrons, that significant differences essential for theoretical understanding of collective flow are observed between mesons and baryons
Summary
In the first years of operation ALICE has demonstrated its excellent capabilities to measure highenergy nuclear collisions at the LHC, delivering exciting results on elliptic flow, which appears to be even larger than at RHIC [1], strong quenching of high momentum hadrons including first measurements using identified open charm mesons [2] and intriguing results on the centrality dependence of charmonium production [3], to just name a few examples. More information on the improvements and further details on the ALICE upgrade can be found in [5] Another new detector, the Muon Forward Tracker, will be implemented to further enhance the measurement capabilities for the signals mentioned above via the improved forward measurement of quarkonia and low-mass dimuons, as well as heavy-flavour muons. The Muon Forward Tracker, will be implemented to further enhance the measurement capabilities for the signals mentioned above via the improved forward measurement of quarkonia and low-mass dimuons, as well as heavy-flavour muons The larger beam energy of the LHC will allow us to enter a new physics regime with access to much smaller values of x and a larger phase space for saturation due to the expected larger saturation scale
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.