Mid-rapidity In Pb-Pb Collisions Research Articles

Measurements of Chemical Potentials in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV.

This Letter presents the most precise measurement to date of the matter-antimatter imbalance at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV. Using the Statistical Hadronization framework, it is possible to obtain the value of the electric charge and baryon chemical potentials, μ_{Q}=-0.18±0.90 MeV and μ_{B}=0.71±0.45 MeV, with unprecedented precision. A centrality-differential study of the antiparticle-to-particle yield ratios of charged pions, protons, Ω baryons, and light (hyper)nuclei is performed. These results indicate that the system created in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC is on average baryon-free and electrically neutral at midrapidity.

Anisotropic flow fluctuations of charged and identified hadrons in Pb-Pb collisions with the ALICE detector

Anisotropic flow fluctuations can be used to constrain the initial conditions and probe the properties and evolution of the system created in heavy-ion collisions. In this proceeding, the pT-differential flow coefficient vn with 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-particle cumulants for charged hadrons are investigated, which allows to study the higher order moments, including skewness and kurtosis, of v2 probability density function (p.d.f.). In addition, the v2 fluctuations of π±, K±, p+p¯, ϕ, KS0, Λ+Λ¯ and Ξ−+Ξ¯+ are also measured at mid rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=5.02TeV cumulants. The implications of the results for understanding the properties of the medium are discussed.

Centrality dependence of freeze-out temperature fluctuations in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC

.Many data in the High Energy Physics are, in fact, sample means. It is shown that when this exact meaning of the data is taken into account and the most weakly bound states are removed from the hadron resonance gas, the whole spectra of pions, kaons and protons measured at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{s_{NN}} = 2.76 TeV can be fitted simultaneously. The invariant distributions are predicted with the help of the single-freeze-out model in the chemical equilibrium framework. The method is applied to the measurements in centrality bins of Pb-Pb collisions and gives acceptable fits for all but peripheral bins. The comparison with the results obtained in the framework of the original single-freeze-out model is also presented. Some more general, possible implications of this approach are pointed out.

Suppression of Λ(1520) resonance production in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV

The production yield of the $\Lambda(1520)$ baryon resonance is measured at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The measurement is performed in the $\Lambda(1520)\rightarrow {\rm pK}^{-}$ (and charge conjugate) hadronic decay channel as a function of the transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) and collision centrality. The $p_{\rm T}$-integrated production rate of $\Lambda(1520)$ relative to $\Lambda$ in central collisions is suppressed by about a factor of 2 with respect to peripheral collisions. This is the first observation of the suppression of a baryonic resonance at the LHC and the first 3$\sigma$ evidence of $\Lambda(1520)$ suppression within a single collision system. The measured $\Lambda(1520)/\Lambda$ ratio in central collisions is smaller than the value predicted by the statistical hadronisation model calculations. The shape of the measured $p_{\rm T}$ distribution and the centrality dependence of the suppression are reproduced by the EPOS3 Monte Carlo event generator. The measurement adds further support to the formation of a dense hadronic phase in the final stages of the evolution of the fireball created in heavy-ion collisions, lasting long enough to cause a significant reduction in the observable yield of short-lived resonances.

Measurement of transverse energy at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions atsNN=2.76TeV

We report the transverse energy ($E_{\mathrm T}$) measured with ALICE at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm {NN}}}}$ = 2.76 TeV as a function of centrality. The transverse energy was measured using identified single particle tracks. The measurement was cross checked using the electromagnetic calorimeters and the transverse momentum distributions of identified particles previously reported by ALICE. The results are compared to theoretical models as well as to results from other experiments. The mean $E_{\mathrm T}$ per unit pseudorapidity ($\eta$), $\langle $d$E_{\mathrm T}/$d$\eta \rangle$, in 0-5% central collisions is 1737 $\pm$ 6(stat.) $\pm$ 97(sys.) GeV. We find a similar centrality dependence of the shape of $\langle $d$E_{\mathrm T}/$d$\eta \rangle$ as a function of the number of participating nucleons to that seen at lower energies. The growth in $\langle $d$E_{\mathrm T}/$d$\eta \rangle$ at the LHC ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm {NN}}}}$ exceeds extrapolations of low energy data. We observe a nearly linear scaling of $\langle $d$E_{\mathrm T}/$d$\eta \rangle$ with the number of quark participants. With the canonical assumption of a 1 fm/$c$ formation time, we estimate that the energy density in 0-5% central Pb-Pb collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm {NN}}}}$ = 2.76 TeV is 12.3 $\pm$ 1.0 GeV/fm$^3$\xspace and that the energy density at the most central 80 fm$^2$ of the collision is at least 21.5 $\pm$ 1.7 GeV/fm$^3$. This is roughly 2.3 times that observed in 0-5% central Au-Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm {NN}}}}$ = 200 GeV.

Elliptic flow of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at s N N = 2.76 $$ \sqrt{{\mathrm{s}}_{\mathrm{NN}}}=2.76 $$ TeV

The elliptic flow of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at mid-rapidity ($|y|$ $<$ 0.7) is measured in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV with ALICE at the LHC. The particle azimuthal distribution with respect to the reaction plane can be parametrized with a Fourier expansion, where the second coefficient ($v_{\rm 2}$) represents the elliptic flow. The $v_{\rm 2}$ coefficient of inclusive electrons is measured in three centrality classes (0-10%, 10-20% and 20-40%) with the event plane and the scalar product methods in the transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) intervals 0.5-13 GeV/$c$ and 0.5-8 GeV/$c$, respectively. After subtracting the background, mainly from photon conversions and Dalitz decays of neutral mesons, a positive $v_{\rm 2}$ of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays is observed in all centrality classes, with a maximum significance of $5.9\sigma$ in the interval $2 <$ $p_{\rm T}$ $<$ 2.5 GeV/$c$ in semi-central collisions (20-40%). The value of $v_{\rm 2}$ decreases towards more central collisions at low and intermediate $p_{\rm T}$ (0.5 $<$ $p_{\rm T}$ $<$ 3 GeV/$c$). The $v_{\rm 2}$ of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at mid-rapidity is found to be similar to the one of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at forward rapidity (2.5 $<$ $y$ $<$ 4). The results are described within uncertainties by model calculations including substantial elastic interactions of heavy quarks with an expanding strongly-interacting medium.

Centrality Dependence of the Charged-Particle Multiplicity Density at Midrapidity in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV.

The pseudorapidity density of charged particles, dN_{ch}/dη, at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions has been measured at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV. For the 5% most central collisions, we measure a value of 1943±54. The rise in dN_{ch}/dη as a function of sqrt[s_{NN}] is steeper than that observed in proton-proton collisions and follows the trend established by measurements at lower energy. The increase of dN_{ch}/dη as a function of the average number of participant nucleons, ⟨N_{part}⟩, calculated in a Glauber model, is compared with the previous measurement at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76 TeV. A constant factor of about 1.2 describes the increase in dN_{ch}/dη from sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76 to 5.02TeV for all centrality classes, within the measured range of 0%-80% centrality. The results are also compared to models based on different mechanisms for particle production in nuclear collisions.

Direct photon production in Pb–Pb collisions atsNN=2.76 TeV

Direct photon production at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\mathrm{NN}}}} = 2.76$ TeV was studied in the transverse momentum range $0.9 < p_\mathrm{T} < 14$ GeV$/c$. Photons were detected with the highly segmented electromagnetic calorimeter PHOS and via conversions in the ALICE detector material with the $e^+e^-$ pair reconstructed in the central tracking system. The results of the two methods were combined and direct photon spectra were measured for the 0-20%, 20-40%, and 40-80% centrality classes. For all three classes, agreement was found with perturbative QCD calculations for $p_\mathrm{T} \gtrsim 5$ GeV$/c$. Direct photon spectra down to $p_\mathrm{T} \approx 1$ GeV$/c$ could be extracted for the 20-40% and 0-20% centrality classes. The significance of the direct photon signal for $0.9 < p_\mathrm{T} < 2.1$ GeV$/c$ is $2.6\sigma$ for the 0-20% class. The spectrum in this $p_\mathrm{T}$ range and centrality class can be described by an exponential with an inverse slope parameter of $(297 \pm 12^\mathrm{stat}\pm 41^\mathrm{syst})$ MeV. State-of-the-art models for photon production in heavy-ion collisions agree with the data within uncertainties.

Inclusive, prompt and non-prompt J/ψ production at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at s N N = 2.76 $$ \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=2.76 $$ TeV

The transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) dependence of the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$ and the centrality dependence of the average transverse momentum $\langle p_{\rm T}\rangle$ for inclusive J/$\psi$ have been measured with ALICE for Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV in the e$^+$e$^-$ decay channel at mid-rapidity ($|y|<0.8$). The $\langle p_{\rm T}\rangle$ is significantly smaller than the one observed for pp collisions at the same centre-of-mass energy. Consistently, an increase of $R_{\rm AA}$ is observed towards low $p_{\rm T}$. These observations might be indicative of a sizable contribution of charm quark coalescence to the J/$\psi$ production. Additionally, the fraction of non-prompt J/$\psi$ from beauty hadron decays, $f_{\rm B}$, has been determined in the region $1.5 < p_{\rm T} < 10$ GeV/c in three centrality intervals. No significant centrality dependence of $f_{\rm B}$ is observed. Finally, the $R_{\rm AA}$ of non-prompt J/$\psi$ is discussed and compared with model predictions. The nuclear modification in the region $4.5 < p_{\rm T} < 10$ GeV/c is found to be stronger than predicted by most models.

KS0andΛProduction in Pb-Pb Collisions atsNN=2.76 TeV

The ALICE measurement of KS0 and Λ production at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV is presented. The transverse momentum (pT) spectra are shown for several collision centrality intervals and in the pT range from 0.4 GeV/c (0.6 GeV/c for Λ) to 12 GeV/c. The pT dependence of the Λ/KS0 ratios exhibits maxima in the vicinity of 3 GeV/c, and the positions of the maxima shift towards higher pT with increasing collision centrality. The magnitude of these maxima increases by almost a factor of three between most peripheral and most central Pb-Pb collisions. This baryon excess at intermediate pT is not observed in pp interactions at s=0.9 TeV and at s=7 TeV. Qualitatively, the baryon enhancement in heavy-ion collisions is expected from radial flow. However, the measured pT spectra above 2 GeV/c progressively decouple from hydrodynamical-model calculations. For higher values of pT, models that incorporate the influence of the medium on the fragmentation and hadronization processes describe qualitatively the pT dependence of the Λ/KS0 ratio.Received 29 July 2013DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.222301This article is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.© 2013 CERN, for the ALICE Collaboration

Mixed harmonic charge dependent azimuthal correlations in Pb–Pb collisions at sNN=2.76TeV measured with the ALICE experiment at the LHC

Mixed harmonic charge dependent azimuthal correlations at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV were measured with the ALICE detector at the LHC. A clear charge dependence for a series of correlations is observed both via the multi-particle cumulant and the event plane methods. Implications from these measurements for the possible effects of the local parity violation in QCD and for models which incorporate the azimuthal anisotropic flow and the local charge conservation on the kinetic freeze-out surface are discussed.

Centrality Dependence of the Charged-Particle Multiplicity Density at Midrapidity in Pb-Pb Collisions atsNN=2.76 TeV

The centrality dependence of the charged-particle multiplicity density at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV is presented. The charged-particle density normalized per participating nucleon pair increases by about a factor 2 from peripheral (70-80%) to central (0-5%) collisions. The centrality dependence is found to be similar to that observed at lower collision energies. The data are compared with models based on different mechanisms for particle production in nuclear collisions.

Charged-Particle Multiplicity Density at Midrapidity in Central Pb-Pb Collisions atsNN=2.76 TeV

The first measurement of the charged-particle multiplicity density at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV is presented. For an event sample corresponding to the most central 5% of the hadronic cross section the pseudo-rapidity density of primary charged particles at mid-rapidity is 1584 $\pm$ 4 (stat) $\pm$ 76 (sys.), which corresponds to 8.3 $\pm$ 0.4 (sys.) per participating nucleon pair. This represents an increase of about a factor 1.9 relative to pp collisions at similar collision energies, and about a factor 2.2 to central Au-Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 0.2 TeV. This measurement provides the first experimental constraint for models of nucleus-nucleus collisions at LHC energies.

Strangeness enhancement at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 A GeV/ c

KS0, Λ, Ξ, Ω and negative particle h− yields and transverse mass spectra, measured at central rapidity in p-Pb and Pb-Pb collisions at 158 A GeV/c, are presented and discussed. Yields are studied as a function of the number of nucleons participating in the collision Npart, which have been estimated using the Glauber model. From p-Pb to Pb-Pb collisions the particle yields per participant increase substantially. Such an enhancement is more pronounced for multiply strange particles, and reaches an order of magnitude for Ω. For a number of participants Npart > 100, however, all yields per participant appear to be constant.