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ALICE Collaboration

Publications and source records attributed to ALICE Collaboration.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
arXiv2024

Exclusive and dissociative J/$ψ$ photoproduction, and exclusive dimuon production, in p$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 8.16$ TeV

The ALICE Collaboration reports three measurements in ultra-peripheral proton$-$lead collisions at forward rapidity. The exclusive two-photon process \ggmm and the exclusive photoproduction of J/$ψ$ are studied. J/$ψ$ photoproduction with proton dissociation is measured for the first time at a hadron collider. The cross section for the two-photon process of dimuons in the invariant mass range from 1 to 2.5 GeV/$c^2$ agrees with leading order quantum electrodynamics calculations. The exclusive and dissociative cross sections for J/$ψ$ photoproductions are measured for photon$-$proton centre-of-mass energies from 27 to 57 GeV. They are in good agreement with HERA results.

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arXiv2024

Study of the p$-$p$-$K$^+$ and p$-$p$-$K$^-$ dynamics using the femtoscopy technique

The interactions of kaons (K) and antikaons ($\mathrm{\overline{K}}$) with few nucleons (N) were studied so far using kaonic atom data and measurements of kaon production and interaction yields in nuclei. Some details of the three-body KNN and $\mathrm{\overline{K}}$NN dynamics are still not well understood, mainly due to the overlap with multi-nucleon interactions in nuclei. An alternative method to probe the dynamics of three-body systems with kaons is to study the final state interaction within triplet of particles emitted in pp collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, which are free from effects due to the presence of bound nucleons. This Letter reports the first femtoscopic study of p$-$p$-$K$^+$ and p$-$p$-$K$^-$ correlations measured in high-multiplicity pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV by the ALICE Collaboration. The analysis shows that the measured p$-$p$-$K$^+$ and p$-$p$-$K$^-$ correlation functions can be interpreted in terms of pairwise interactions in the triplets, indicating that the dynamics of such systems is dominated by the two-body interactions without significant contributions from three-body effects or bound states.

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arXiv2024

Measurement of Non-prompt $\rm D^0$-meson Elliptic Flow in Pb-Pb Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The elliptic flow ($v_2$) of $\rm D^0$ mesons from beauty-hadron decays (non-prompt $\rm D^0$) was measured in midcentral (30-50%) Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The $\rm D^0$ mesons were reconstructed at midrapidity ($|y|<0.8$) from their hadronic decay $\mathrm{D^0 \to K^-π^+}$, in the transverse momentum interval $2 < p_{\rm T} < 12$ GeV/$c$. The result indicates a positive $v_2$ for non-prompt $\rm D^0$ mesons with a significance of 2.7$σ$. The non-prompt $\rm D^0$-meson $v_2$ is lower than that of prompt non-strange D mesons with 3.2$σ$ significance in $2 < p_{\rm T} < 8$ GeV/$c$, and compatible with the $v_2$ of beauty-decay electrons. Theoretical calculations of beauty-quark transport in a hydrodynamically expanding medium describe the measurement within uncertainties.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of the non-prompt D-meson fraction as a function of multiplicity in proton$-$proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV

The fractions of non-prompt (i.e. originating from beauty-hadron decays) D$^0$ and D$^+$ mesons with respect to the inclusive yield are measured as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity in proton$-$proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The results are reported in intervals of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) and integrated in the range $1 < p_{\rm T} < 24$ GeV/$c$. The fraction of non-prompt D$^0$ and D$^+$ mesons is found to increase slightly as a function of $p_{\rm T}$ in all the measured multiplicity intervals, while no significant dependence on the charged-particle multiplicity is observed. In order to investigate the production and hadronisation mechanisms of charm and beauty quarks, the results are compared to PYTHIA 8 as well as EPOS 3 and EPOS 4 Monte Carlo simulations, and to calculations based on the colour glass condensate including three-pomeron fusion.

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arXiv2023

Energy dependence of coherent photonuclear production of J/$ψ$ mesons in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$=5.02 TeV

The cross section for coherent photonuclear production of J/$ψ$ is presented as a function of the electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) of Pb. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV. Cross sections are presented in five different J/$ψ$ rapidity ranges within $|y|<4$, with the J/$ψ$ reconstructed via its dilepton decay channels. In some events the J/$ψ$ is not accompanied by EMD, while other events do produce neutrons from EMD at beam rapidities either in one or the other beam direction, or in both. The cross sections in a given rapidity range and for different configurations of neutrons from EMD allow for the extraction of the energy dependence of this process in the range $17 < W_{γ\, \mathrm{Pb, n}} <920$ GeV, where $W_{γ\, \mathrm{Pb, n}}$ is the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon of the $γ\,\mathrm{Pb}$ system. This range corresponds to a Bjorken-$x$ interval spanning about three orders of magnitude: $ 1.1\times10^{-5}<x<3.3\times 10^{-2}$. In addition to the ultra-peripheral and photonuclear cross sections, the nuclear suppression factor is obtained. These measurements point to a strong depletion of the gluon distribution in Pb nuclei over a broad, previously unexplored, energy range. These results, together with previous ALICE measurements, provide unprecedented information to probe quantum chromodynamics at high energies.

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arXiv2023

Closing in on critical net-baryon fluctuations at LHC energies: cumulants up to third order in Pb$-$Pb collisions

Fluctuation measurements are important sources of information on the mechanism of particle production at LHC energies. This article reports the first experimental results on third-order cumulants of the net-proton distributions in Pb$-$Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV recorded by the ALICE detector. The results on the second-order cumulants of net-proton distributions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ and $5.02$ TeV are also discussed in view of effects due to the global and local baryon number conservation. The results demonstrate the presence of long-range rapidity correlations between protons and antiprotons. Such correlations originate from the early phase of the collision. The experimental results are compared with HIJING and EPOS model calculations, and the dependence of the fluctuation measurements on the phase-space coverage is examined in the context of lattice quantum chromodynamics (LQCD) and hadron resonance gas (HRG) model estimations. The measured third-order cumulants are consistent with zero within experimental uncertainties of about 4% and are described well by LQCD and HRG predictions.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of the low-energy antitriton inelastic cross section

In this Letter, the first measurement of the inelastic cross section for antitriton$-$nucleus interactions is reported, covering the momentum range of $0.8 \leq p < 2.4$ GeV/$c$. The measurement is carried out using data recorded with the ALICE detector in pp and Pb$-$Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon of 13 TeV and 5.02 TeV, respectively. The detector material serves as an absorber for antitriton nuclei. The raw yield of (anti)triton nuclei measured with the ALICE apparatus is compared to the results from detailed ALICE simulations based on the GEANT4 toolkit for the propagation of (anti)particles through matter, allowing one to quantify the inelastic interaction probability in the detector material. This analysis complements the measurement of the inelastic cross section of antinuclei up to $A=3$ carried out by the ALICE Collaboration, and demonstrates the feasibility of the study of the isospin dependence of inelastic interaction cross section with the analysis techniques presented in this Letter.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of electrons from beauty-hadron decays in pp and Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The production of electrons from beauty-hadron decays was measured at midrapidity in proton-proton (pp) and central Pb-Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV, using the ALICE detector at the LHC. The cross section measured in pp collisions in the transverse momentum interval $2 < p_{\rm T} < 8$ GeV/$c$ was compared with models based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations. The yield in the 10% most central Pb-Pb collisions, measured in the interval $2 < p_{\rm T} < 26$ GeV/$c$, was used to compute the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$, extrapolating the pp reference cross section to $p_{\rm T}$ larger than 8 GeV/$c$. The measured $R_{\rm AA}$ shows significant suppression of the yield of electrons from beauty-hadron decays at high $p_{\rm T}$ and does not show a significant dependence on $p_{\rm T}$ above 8 GeV/$c$ within uncertainties. The results are described by several theoretical models based on different implementations of the interaction of heavy quarks with a quark-gluon plasma, which predict a smaller energy loss for beauty quarks compared to light and charm quarks.

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arXiv2023

Higher-order correlations between different moments of two flow amplitudes in Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV

The correlations between different moments of two flow amplitudes, extracted with the recently developed asymmetric cumulants, are measured in Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV recorded by the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The magnitudes of the measured observables show a dependence on the different moments as well as on the collision centrality, indicating the presence of non-linear response in all even moments up to the eighth. Furthermore, the higher-order asymmetric cumulants show different signatures than the symmetric and lower-order asymmetric cumulants. Comparisons with state-of-the-art event generators using two different parametrizations obtained from Bayesian optimization show differences between data and simulations in many of the studied observables, indicating a need for further tuning of the models behind those event generators. These results provide new and independent constraints on the initial conditions and transport properties of the system created in heavy-ion collisions.

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arXiv2023

Measurements of groomed-jet substructure of charm jets tagged by ${\rm D}^0$ mesons in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

Understanding the role of parton mass and Casimir colour factors in the quantum chromodynamics parton shower represents an important step in characterising the emission properties of heavy quarks. Recent experimental advances in jet substructure techniques have provided the opportunity to isolate and characterise gluon emissions from heavy quarks. In this work, the first direct experimental constraint on the charm-quark splitting function is presented, obtained via the measurement of the groomed shared momentum fraction of the first splitting in charm jets, tagged by a reconstructed ${\rm D}^0$ meson. The measurement is made in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, in the low jet transverse-momentum interval of $15 \leq p_{\rm T}^{\rm jet~ch} < 30$ GeV/$c$ where the emission properties are sensitive to parton mass effects. In addition, the opening angle of the first perturbative emission of the charm quark, as well as the number of perturbative emissions it undergoes, is reported. Comparisons to measurements of an inclusive-jet sample show a steeper splitting function for charm quarks compared with gluons and light quarks. Charm quarks also undergo fewer perturbative emissions in the parton shower, with a reduced probability of large-angle emissions.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of inclusive J/$ψ$ pair production cross section in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV

The production cross section of inclusive J/$ψ$ pairs in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV is measured with ALICE. The measurement is performed for J/$ψ$ in the rapidity interval $2.5 < y < 4.0$ and for transverse momentum $p_{\rm T} > 0$. The production cross section of inclusive J/$ψ$ pairs is reported to be $10.3 \pm 2.3 {\rm (stat.)} \pm 1.3 {\rm (syst.)}$ nb in this kinematic interval. The contribution from non-prompt J/$ψ$ (i.e. originated from beauty-hadron decays) to the inclusive sample is evaluated. The effective double-parton scattering cross section is computed, neglecting the single-parton scattering contribution.

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arXiv2023

Pseudorapidity densities of charged particles with transverse momentum thresholds in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ and $13$ TeV

The pseudorapidity density of charged particles with minimum transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) thresholds of 0.15, 0.5, 1, and 2 GeV$/c$ is measured in pp collisions at the centre of mass energies of $\sqrt{s} =$ 5.02 and 13 TeV with the ALICE detector. The study is carried out for inelastic collisions with at least one primary charged particle having a pseudorapidity ($η$) within $\pm0.8$ and $p_{\rm T}$ larger than the corresponding threshold. In addition, measurements without $p_{\rm T}$-thresholds are performed for inelastic and non-single-diffractive events as well as for inelastic events with at least one charged particle having $|η|<1$ in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 5.02 TeV for the first time at the LHC. These measurements are compared to the PYTHIA 6, PYTHIA 8, and EPOS-LHC models. In general, the models describe the $η$ dependence of particle production well. However, discrepancies are observed for the highest transverse momentum threshold ($p_{\rm T}>2 {\rm\ GeV}/c$), highlighting the importance of such measurements for tuning event generators. The new measurements agree within uncertainties with results from the ATLAS and CMS experiments obtained at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV.

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arXiv2023

First measurement of prompt and non-prompt ${\rm D^{*+}}$ vector meson spin alignment in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV

This letter reports the first measurement of spin alignment, with respect to the helicity axis, for ${\rm D^{*+}}$ vector mesons and their charge conjugates from charm-quark hadronisation (prompt) and from beauty-meson decays (non-prompt) in hadron collisions. The measurements were performed at midrapidity ($|y|<0.8$) as a function of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) in proton-proton (pp) collisions collected by ALICE at the centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV. The diagonal spin density matrix element $ρ_{00}$ of ${\rm D^{*+}}$ mesons was measured from the angular distribution of the ${\rm D^{*+}} \to {\rm D}^0 (\to {\rm K}^{-}π^{+}) π^+$ decay products, in the ${\rm D^{*+}}$ rest frame, with respect to the ${\rm D^{*+}}$ momentum direction in the pp centre of mass frame. The $ρ_{00}$ value for prompt ${\rm D^{*+}}$ mesons is consistent with $1/3$, which implies no spin alignment. However, for non-prompt ${\rm D^{*+}}$ mesons an evidence of $ρ_{00}$ larger than $1/3$ is found. The measured value of the spin density element is $ρ_{00}=0.455\pm0.022(\text{stat.})\pm0.035(\text{syst.})$ in the $5 < p_{\rm T} < 20$ GeV/$c$ interval, which is consistent with a PYTHIA 8 Monte Carlo simulation coupled with the EVTGEN package, which implements the helicity conservation in the decay of ${\rm D^{*+}}$ meson from beauty mesons. In non-central heavy-ion collisions, the spin of the ${\rm D^{*+}}$ mesons may be globally aligned with the direction of the initial angular momentum and magnetic field. Based on the results for pp collisions reported in this letter it is shown that alignment of non-prompt ${\rm D^{*+}}$ mesons due to the helicity conservation coupled to the collective anisotropic expansion may mimic the signal of global spin alignment in heavy-ion collisions.

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arXiv2023

Accessing the strong interaction between $Λ$ baryons and charged kaons with the femtoscopy technique at the LHC

The interaction between $Λ$ baryons and kaons/antikaons is a crucial ingredient for the strangeness $S=0$ and $S=-2$ sector of the meson$-$baryon interaction at low energies. In particular, the $Λ{\mathrm{\overline{K}}}$ might help in understanding the origin of states such as the $Ξ\mathrm{(1620)}$, whose nature and properties are still under debate. Experimental data on $Λ$$-$${\mathrm{K}}$ and $Λ$$-$${\mathrm{\overline{K}}}$ systems are scarce, leading to large uncertainties and tension between the available theoretical predictions constrained by such data. In this Letter we present the measurements of $Λ$$-$K$^+\oplus \overlineΛ$$-$K$^-$ and $Λ$$-$K$^-\oplus \overlineΛ$$-$K$^+$ correlations obtained in the high-multiplicity triggered data sample in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV recorded by ALICE at the LHC. The correlation function for both pairs is modeled using the Lednicky$-$Lyuboshits analytical formula and the corresponding scattering parameters are extracted. The $Λ$$-$K$^-\oplus \overlineΛ$$-$K$^+$ correlations show the presence of several structures at relative momenta $k^*$ above 200 MeV/$c$, compatible with the $Ω$ baryon, the $Ξ\mathrm{(1690)}$, and $Ξ\mathrm{(1820)}$ resonances decaying into $Λ$$-$K$^-$ pairs. The low $k^*$ region in the $Λ$$-$K$^-\oplus \overlineΛ$$-$K$^+$ also exhibits the presence of the $Ξ\mathrm{(1620)}$ state, expected to strongly couple to the measured pair. The presented data allow to access the $Λ$K$^+$ and $Λ$K$^-$ strong interaction with an unprecedented precision and deliver the first experimental observation of the $Ξ\mathrm{(1620)}$ decaying into $Λ$K$^-$.

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arXiv2023

Symmetry plane correlations in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV

A newly developed observable for correlations between symmetry planes, which characterize the direction of the anisotropic emission of produced particles, is measured in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV with ALICE. This so-called Gaussian Estimator allows for the first time the study of these quantities without the influence of correlations between different flow amplitudes. The centrality dependence of various correlations between two, three and four symmetry planes is presented. The ordering of magnitude between these symmetry plane correlations is discussed and the results of the Gaussian Estimator are compared with measurements of previously used estimators. The results utilizing the new estimator lead to significantly smaller correlations than reported by studies using the Scalar Product method. Furthermore, the obtained symmetry plane correlations are compared to state-of-the-art hydrodynamic model calculations for the evolution of heavy-ion collisions. While the model predictions provide a qualitative description of the data, quantitative agreement is not always observed, particularly for correlators with significant non-linear response of the medium to initial state anisotropies of the collision system. As these results provide unique and independent information, their usage in future Bayesian analysis can further constrain our knowledge on the properties of the QCD matter produced in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions.

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arXiv2023

Inclusive photon production at forward rapidities in pp and p$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV

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 $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV using the ALICE detector in the forward pseudorapidity region $2.3 < η_{\rm lab} < 3.9$ 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.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of the angle between jet axes in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV

This article reports measurements of the angle between differently defined jet axes in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV carried out by the ALICE Collaboration. Charged particles at midrapidity are clustered into jets with resolution parameters $R=0.2$ and 0.4. The jet axis, before and after Soft Drop grooming, is compared to the jet axis from the Winner-Takes-All (WTA) recombination scheme. The angle between these axes, $ΔR_{\mathrm{axis}}$, probes a wide phase space of the jet formation and evolution, ranging from the initial high-momentum-transfer scattering to the hadronization process. The $ΔR_{\mathrm{axis}}$ observable is presented for $20 < {p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{ch\; jet}}}< 100$ GeV/$c$, and compared to predictions from the PYTHIA 8 and Herwig 7 event generators. The distributions can also be calculated analytically with a leading hadronization correction related to the non-perturbative component of the Collins$-$Soper$-$Sterman (CSS) evolution kernel. Comparisons to analytical predictions at next-to-leading-logarithmic accuracy with leading hadronization correction implemented from experimental extractions of the CSS kernel in Drell$-$Yan measurements are presented. The analytical predictions describe the measured data within 20% in the perturbative regime, with surprising agreement in the non-perturbative regime as well. These results are compatible with the universality of the CSS kernel in the context of jet substructure.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of the lifetime and $Λ$ separation energy of $^{3}_Λ\mathrm H$

The most precise measurements to date of the $^{3}_Λ\mathrm H$ lifetime $τ$ and $Λ$ separation energy ${\rm B}_Λ$ are obtained using the data sample of Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=$ 5.02 TeV collected by ALICE at the LHC. The $^{3}_Λ\mathrm H$ is reconstructed via its charged two-body mesonic decay channel ($^{3}_Λ\mathrm{H} \rightarrow$ $^3$He + $π^-$ and the charge-conjugate process). The measured values $τ= [253 \pm 11 \text{ (stat.)} \pm 6 \text{ (syst.)}]$ ps and ${\rm B}_Λ= [102 \pm 63 \text{ (stat.)} \pm 67 \text{ (syst.)}]$ keV are compatible with predictions from effective field theories and confirm that the $^{3}_Λ\mathrm H$ structure is consistent with a weakly-bound system.

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