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ALICE Collaboration

Publications and source records attributed to ALICE Collaboration.

At least 523 records · Page 29Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Centrality dependence of the nuclear modification factor of charged pions, kaons, and protons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV

Transverse momentum ($p_{\rm{T}}$) spectra of pions, kaons, and protons up to $p_{\rm{T}} = 20$ GeV/$c$ have been measured in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV using the ALICE detector for six different centrality classes covering 0-80%. The proton-to-pion and the kaon-to-pion ratios both show a distinct peak at $p_{\rm{T}} \approx 3$ GeV/$c$ in central Pb-Pb collisions that decreases towards more peripheral collisions. For $p_{\rm{T}} > 10$ GeV/$c$, the nuclear modification factor is found to be the same for all three particle species in each centrality interval within systematic uncertainties of 10-20%. This suggests there is no direct interplay between the energy loss in the medium and the particle species composition in the hard core of the quenched jet. For $p_{\rm{T}} < 10$ GeV/$c$, the data provide important constraints for models aimed at describing the transition from soft to hard physics.

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arXiv2016

Event shape engineering for inclusive spectra and elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\rm{NN}}=2.76$ TeV

We report on results obtained with the Event Shape Engineering technique applied to Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\rm{NN}}=2.76$ TeV. By selecting events in the same centrality interval, but with very different average flow, different initial state conditions can be studied. We find the effect of the event-shape selection on the elliptic flow coefficient $v_2$ to be almost independent of transverse momentum $p_\rm{T}$, as expected if this effect is due to fluctuations in the initial geometry of the system. Charged hadron, pion, kaon, and proton transverse momentum distributions are found to be harder in events with higher-than-average elliptic flow, indicating an interplay between radial and elliptic flow.

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arXiv2016

Anisotropic flow of charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV

We report the first results of elliptic ($v_2$), triangular ($v_3$) and quadrangular flow ($v_4$) of charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurements are performed in the central pseudorapidity region $|η|<0.8$ and for the transverse momentum range $0.2<p_{\rm T}<5$ GeV/$c$. The anisotropic flow is measured using two-particle correlations with a pseudorapidity gap greater than one unit and with the multi-particle cumulant method. Compared to results from Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV, the anisotropic flow coefficients $v_{2}$, $v_{3}$ and $v_{4}$ are found to increase by ($3.0\pm0.6$)%, ($4.3\pm1.4$)% and ($10.2\pm3.8$)%, respectively, in the centrality range 0-50%. This increase can be attributed mostly to an increase of the average transverse momentum between the two energies. The measurements are found to be compatible with hydrodynamic model calculations. This comparison provides a unique opportunity to test the validity of the hydrodynamic picture and the power to further discriminate between various possibilities for the temperature dependence of shear viscosity to entropy density ratio of the produced matter in heavy-ion collisions at the highest energies.

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arXiv2016

Multiplicity and transverse momentum evolution of charge-dependent correlations in pp, p-Pb, and Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC

We report on two-particle charge-dependent correlations in pp, p-Pb, and Pb-Pb collisions as a function of the pseudorapidity and azimuthal angle difference, $\mathrmΔη$ and $\mathrmΔφ$ respectively. These correlations are studied using the balance function that probes the charge creation time and the development of collectivity in the produced system. The dependence of the balance function on the event multiplicity as well as on the trigger and associated particle transverse momentum ($p_{\mathrm{T}}$) in pp, p-Pb, and Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 7$, 5.02, and 2.76 TeV, respectively, are presented. In the low transverse momentum region, for $0.2 < p_{\mathrm{T}} < 2.0$ GeV/$c$, the balance function becomes narrower in both $\mathrmΔη$ and $\mathrmΔφ$ directions in all three systems for events with higher multiplicity. The experimental findings favor models that either incorporate some collective behavior (e.g. AMPT) or different mechanisms that lead to effects that resemble collective behavior (e.g. PYTHIA8 with color reconnection). For higher values of transverse momenta the balance function becomes even narrower but exhibits no multiplicity dependence, indicating that the observed narrowing with increasing multiplicity at low $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ is a feature of bulk particle production.

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arXiv2016

Search for weakly decaying $\bar{Λ\mathrm{n}}$ and $ΛΛ$ exotic bound states in central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV

We present results of a search for two hypothetical strange dibaryon states, i.e. the H-dibaryon and the possible $\bar{Λ\mathrm{n}}$ bound state. The search is performed with the ALICE detector in central (0-10%) Pb-Pb collisions at $ \sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}} = 2.76$ TeV, by invariant mass analysis in the decay modes $\bar{Λ\mathrm{n}} \rightarrow \bar{\mathrm{d}} π^{+} $ and H-dibaryon $\rightarrow Λ\mathrm{p} π^{-}$. No evidence for these bound states is observed. Upper limits are determined at 99% confidence level for a wide range of lifetimes and for the full range of branching ratios. The results are compared to thermal, coalescence and hybrid UrQMD model expectations, which describe correctly the production of other loosely bound states, like the deuteron and the hypertriton.

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arXiv2016

Measurement of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV

The production of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays was measured as a function of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) in minimum-bias p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV with ALICE at the LHC. The measurement covers the $p_{\rm T}$ interval $0.5<p_{\rm T}<12$ GeV/$c$ and the rapidity range $-1.06 < y_{\rm cms} < 0.14$ in the centre-of-mass reference frame. The contribution of electrons from background sources was subtracted using an invariant mass approach. The nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm pPb}$ was calculated by comparing the $p_{\rm T}$-differential invariant cross section in p-Pb collisions to a pp reference at the same centre-of-mass energy, which was obtained by interpolating measurements at $\sqrt{s}= 2.76$ TeV and $\sqrt{s} =7$ TeV. The $R_{\rm pPb}$ is consistent with unity within uncertainties of about 25%, which become larger for $p_{\rm T}$ below 1 GeV/$c$. The measurement shows that heavy-flavour production is consistent with binary scaling, so that a suppression in the high-$p_{\rm T}$ yield in Pb-Pb collisions has to be attributed to effects induced by the hot medium produced in the final state. The data in p-Pb collisions are described by recent model calculations that include cold nuclear matter effects.

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arXiv2016

Rapidity and transverse-momentum dependence of the inclusive J/$\mathbfψ$ nuclear modification factor in p-Pb collisions at $\mathbf{\sqrt{\textit{s}_{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV

We have studied the transverse-momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) dependence of the inclusive J/$ψ$ production in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV, in three center-of-mass rapidity ($y_{\rm cms}$) regions, down to zero $p_{\rm T}$. Results in the forward and backward rapidity ranges ($2.03 < y_{\rm cms} < 3.53$ and $-4.46 <y_{\rm cms}< -2.96$) are obtained by studying the J/$ψ$ decay to $μ^+μ^-$, while the mid-rapidity region ($-1.37 < y_{\rm cms} < 0.43$) is investigated by measuring the ${\rm e}^+{\rm e}^-$ decay channel. The $p_{\rm T}$ dependence of the J/$ψ$ production cross section and nuclear modification factor are presented for each of the rapidity intervals, as well as the J/$ψ$ mean $p_{\rm T}$ values. Forward and mid-rapidity results show a suppression of the J/$ψ$ yield, with respect to pp collisions, which decreases with increasing $p_{\rm T}$. At backward rapidity no significant J/$ψ$ suppression is observed. Theoretical models including a combination of cold nuclear matter effects such as shadowing and partonic energy loss, are in fair agreement with the data, except at forward rapidity and low transverse momentum. The implications of the p-Pb results for the evaluation of cold nuclear matter effects on J/$ψ$ production in Pb-Pb collisions are also discussed.

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arXiv2016

Coherent $ρ^0$ photoproduction in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at $\mathbf{\sqrt{\textit{s}_{\rm NN}}} = 2.76$ TeV

We report the first measurement at the LHC of coherent photoproduction of $ρ^0$ mesons in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions. The invariant mass and transverse momentum distributions for $ρ^0$ production are studied in the $π^+ π^-$ decay channel at mid-rapidity. The production cross section in the rapidity range $|y|<0.5$ is found to be $\mathrm{d}σ/\mathrm{d}y = 425 \pm 10 \, (\mathrm{stat.})$ $^{+42}_{-50} \, (\mathrm{sys.})$ mb. Coherent $ρ^0$ production is studied with and without requirement of nuclear breakup, and the fractional yields for various breakup scenarios are presented. The results are compared with those from lower energies and with model predictions.

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arXiv2016

Centrality dependence of inclusive J/$ψ$ production in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

We present a measurement of inclusive J/$ψ$ production in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV as a function of the centrality of the collision, as estimated from the energy deposited in the Zero Degree Calorimeters. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector down to zero transverse momentum, $p_{\rm T}$, in the backward ($-4.46 < y_{\rm cms} < -2.96$) and forward ($2.03 < y_{\rm cms} < 3.53$) rapidity intervals in the dimuon decay channel and in the mid-rapidity region ($-1.37 < y_{\rm cms} < 0.43$) in the dielectron decay channel. The backward and forward rapidity intervals correspond to the Pb-going and p-going direction, respectively. The $p_{\rm T}$-differential J/$ψ$ production cross section at backward and forward rapidity is measured for several centrality classes, together with the corresponding average $p_{\rm T}$ and $p^2_{\rm T}$ values. The nuclear modification factor, $Q_{\rm pPb}$, is presented as a function of centrality for the three rapidity intervals, and, additionally, at backward and forward rapidity, as a function of $p_{\rm T}$ for several centrality classes. At mid- and forward rapidity, the J/$ψ$ yield is suppressed up to 40% compared to that in pp interactions scaled by the number of binary collisions. The degree of suppression increases towards central p-Pb collisions at forward rapidity, and with decreasing $p_{\rm T}$ of the J/$ψ$. At backward rapidity, the $Q_{\rm pPb}$ is compatible with unity within the total uncertainties, with an increasing trend from peripheral to central p-Pb collisions.

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arXiv2016

Measurement of charged jet production cross sections and nuclear modification in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\rm{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV

Charged jet production cross sections in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV measured with the ALICE detector at the LHC are presented. Using the anti-$k_{\rm T}$ algorithm, jets have been reconstructed in the central rapidity region from charged particles with resolution parameters $R = 0.2$ and $R = 0.4$. The reconstructed jets have been corrected for detector effects and the underlying event background. To calculate the nuclear modification factor, $R_{\rm pPb}$, of charged jets in p-Pb collisions, a pp reference was constructed by scaling previously measured charged jet spectra at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV. In the transverse momentum range $20 \le p_{\rm T,ch\ jet} \le 120$ GeV/$c$, $R_{\rm pPb}$ is found to be consistent with unity, indicating the absence of strong nuclear matter effects on jet production. Major modifications to the radial jet structure are probed via the ratio of jet production cross sections reconstructed with the two different resolution parameters. This ratio is found to be similar to the measurement in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV and to the expectations from PYTHIA pp simulations and NLO pQCD calculations at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV.

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arXiv2016

Coherent $ψ$(2S) photo-production in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s}_{\rm NN}$ = 2.76 TeV

We have has performed the first measurement of the coherent $ψ$(2S) photo-production cross section in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC. This charmonium excited state is reconstructed via the $ψ$(2S) $\rightarrow l^{+}l^{-}$ and $ψ$(2S) $\rightarrow$ J/$ψπ^{+}π^{-}$ decays, where the J/$ψ$ decays into two leptons. The analysis is based on an event sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 22 $μ\rm{b}^{-1}$. The cross section for coherent $ψ$(2S) production in the rapidity interval $-0.9<y<0.9$ is $\mathrm{d}σ_{ψ{\rm(2S)}}^{\rm coh}/\mathrm{d}y =0.83\pm 0.19\big(\mathrm{\rm{stat}+{\rm syst}}\big)$ mb. The $ψ$(2S) to J/$ψ$ coherent cross section ratio is $0.34^{+0.08}_{-0.07}(\rm{stat}+{\rm syst})$. The obtained results are compared to predictions from theoretical models.

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arXiv2016

Pseudorapidity and transverse-momentum distributions of charged particles in proton-proton collisions at $\mathbf{\sqrt{\textit s}}$ = 13 TeV

The pseudorapidity ($η$) and transverse-momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) distributions of charged particles produced in proton-proton collisions are measured at the centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. The pseudorapidity distribution in $|η|<$ 1.8 is reported for inelastic events and for events with at least one charged particle in $|η|<$ 1. The pseudorapidity density of charged particles produced in the pseudorapidity region $|η|<$ 0.5 is 5.31 $\pm$ 0.18 and 6.46 $\pm$ 0.19 for the two event classes, respectively. The transverse-momentum distribution of charged particles is measured in the range 0.15 $<$ $p_{\rm T}$ $<$ 20 GeV/c and $|η|<$ 0.8 for events with at least one charged particle in $|η|<$ 1. The correlation between transverse momentum and particle multiplicity is also investigated by studying the evolution of the spectra with event multiplicity. The results are compared with calculations from PYTHIA and EPOS Monte Carlo generators.

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arXiv2016

Azimuthal anisotropy of charged jet production in $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions

We present measurements of the azimuthal dependence of charged jet production in central and semi-central $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions with respect to the second harmonic event plane, quantified as $v_{2}^{\mathrm{ch~jet}}$. Jet finding is performed employing the anti-$k_{\mathrm{T}}$ algorithm with a resolution parameter $R$ = 0.2 using charged tracks from the ALICE tracking system. The contribution of the azimuthal anisotropy of the underlying event is taken into account event-by-event. The remaining (statistical) region-to-region fluctuations are removed on an ensemble basis by unfolding the jet spectra for different event plane orientations independently. Significant non-zero $v_{2}^{\mathrm{ch~jet}}$ is observed in semi-central collisions (30-50\% centrality) for 20 $<$ $p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\rm ch~jet}$ $<$ 90 ${\mathrm{GeV}\kern-0.05em/\kern-0.02em c}$. The azimuthal dependence of the charged jet production is similar to the dependence observed for jets comprising both charged and neutral fragments, and compatible with measurements of the $v_2$ of single charged particles at high $p_{\mathrm{T}}$. Good agreement between the data and predictions from JEWEL, an event generator simulating parton shower evolution in the presence of a dense QCD medium, is found in semi-central collisions.

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arXiv2016

Centrality evolution of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density over a broad pseudorapidity range in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV

The centrality dependence of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density measured with ALICE in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ over a broad pseudorapidity range is presented. This Letter extends the previous results reported by ALICE to more peripheral collisions. No strong change of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density distributions with centrality is observed, and when normalised to the number of participating nucleons in the collisions, the evolution over pseudorapidity with centrality is likewise small. The broad pseudorapidity range allows precise estimates of the total number of produced charged particles which we find to range from $162\pm22$ (syst.) to $17170\pm770$ (syst.) in 80-90% and 0-5 central collisions, respectively. The total charged-particle multiplicity is seen to approximately scale with the number of participating nucleons in the collision. This suggests that hard contributions to the charged-particle multiplicity are limited. The results are compared to models which describe $\mbox{d}N_{\mbox{ch}}/\mbox{d}η$ at mid-rapidity in the most central Pb-Pb collisions and it is found that these models do not capture all features of the distributions.

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arXiv2016

Direct photon production in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\rm{NN}}$ = 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 $2.6σ$ 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.

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arXiv2016

$^{3}_Λ\mathrm H$ and $^{3}_{\barΛ} \overline{\mathrm H}$ production in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV

The production of the hypertriton nuclei $^{3}_Λ\mathrm H$ and $^{3}_{\barΛ} \overline{\mathrm H}$ has been measured for the first time in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV with the ALICE experiment at LHC energies. The total yield, d$N$/d$y$ $\times \mathrm{B.R.}_{\left( ^{3}_Λ\mathrm H \rightarrow ^{3}\mathrm{He},π^{-} \right)} = \left( 3.86 \pm 0.77 (\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 0.68 (\mathrm{syst.})\right) \times 10^{-5}$ in the 0-10% most central collisions, is consistent with the predictions from a statistical thermal model using the same temperature as for the light hadrons. The coalescence parameter $B_3$ shows a dependence on the transverse momentum, similar to the $B_2$ of deuterons and the $B_3$ of $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ nuclei. The ratio of yields $S_3$ = $^{3}_Λ\mathrm H$/($^{3}\mathrm{He}$ $\times Λ/\mathrm{p}$) was measured to be $S_3$ = 0.60 $\pm$ 0.13 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.21 (syst.) in 0-10% centrality events; this value is compared to different theoretical models. The measured $S_3$ is fully compatible with thermal model predictions. The measured $^{3}_Λ\mathrm H$ lifetime, $ τ= 181^{+54}_{-39} (\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 33 (\mathrm{syst.})\ \mathrm{ps}$ is compatible within 1$σ$ with the world average value.

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arXiv2016

One-dimensional pion, kaon, and proton femtoscopy in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm {NN}}}$ =2.76 TeV

The size of the particle emission region in high-energy collisions can be deduced using the femtoscopic correlations of particle pairs at low relative momentum. Such correlations arise due to quantum statistics and Coulomb and strong final state interactions. In this paper, results are presented from femtoscopic analyses of $π^{\pm}π^{\pm}$, ${\rm K}^{\pm}{\rm K}^{\pm}$, ${\rm K}^{0}_S{\rm K}^{0}_S$, ${\rm pp}$, and ${\rm \overline{p}}{\rm \overline{p}}$ correlations from Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm {NN}}}=2.76$ TeV by the ALICE experiment at the LHC. One-dimensional radii of the system are extracted from correlation functions in terms of the invariant momentum difference of the pair. The comparison of the measured radii with the predictions from a hydrokinetic model is discussed. The pion and kaon source radii display a monotonic decrease with increasing average pair transverse mass $m_{\rm T}$ which is consistent with hydrodynamic model predictions for central collisions. The kaon and proton source sizes can be reasonably described by approximate $m_{\rm T}$-scaling.

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arXiv2016

Centrality dependence of pion freeze-out radii in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{\mathbf{s_{NN}}}$=2.76 TeV

We report on the measurement of freeze-out radii for pairs of identical-charge pions measured in Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV as a function of collision centrality and the average transverse momentum of the pair $k_{\rm T}$. Three-dimensional sizes of the system (femtoscopic radii), as well as direction-averaged one-dimensional radii are extracted. The radii decrease with $k_{\rm T}$, following a power-law behavior. This is qualitatively consistent with expectations from a collectively expanding system, produced in hydrodynamic calculations. The radii also scale linearly with $\left< \mathrm{d}N_{\rm ch}/\mathrm{d}η\right>^{1/3}$. This behaviour is compared to world data on femtoscopic radii in heavy-ion collisions. While the dependence is qualitatively similar to results at smaller $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$, a decrease in the $R_{\rm out}/R_{\rm side}$ ratio is seen, which is in qualitative agreement with specific predictions from hydrodynamic models. The results provide further evidence for the production of a collective, strongly coupled system in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC.

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