arXiv subjects

Maria Elena Tejeda-Yeomans

Publications and source records attributed to Maria Elena Tejeda-Yeomans.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Latin American HECAP Physics Briefing Book 2025

The first process for the Latin American Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructure for High Energy, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (LASF4RI-HECAP) came to a conclusion in October 2020, with a Physics Briefing Book (PBB) presented in (2104.06852). Here we present an updated PBB, the result of the first update of LASF4RI-HECAP. The update process began with a call for White Papers from the HECAP community. The submitted contributions were presented at the III LASF4RI for HECAP Symposium: Update of the Strategic Plan, held at ICTP-SAIFR in São Paulo in August 26-29, 2024, with the participation of the Preparatory Group, High Level Strategy Group, Funding Agencies and representatives of similar efforts from around the globe. This updated PBB was written by the Preparatory Group based mainly on 46 White Papers submitted by the community and is organized around seven working groups: Astronomy, Astrophysics and Astroparticle Physics; Cosmology; Dark Matter; Neutrinos; Electroweak and Strong Interactions, Higgs Physics, CP and Flavour Physics and BSM; Instrumentation and Computing; Advanced Training and Capacity Building. It is intended to provide the essential input for the creation of a long-term HECAP strategy in the region.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

A Survey of the Latin American High Energy Physics community on the future flagship project at CERN for the ESPP Update

This document collects input from Latin America as a contribution to the Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics. It emerges from a survey of members of the Latin American Association for High Energy, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (LAA-HECAP) that collected data in February and a subsequent town-hall meeting, inspired by the ECFA guidelines for national communities. This contribution first reviews the Latin American participation at CERN, provides background on LAA-HECAP, and then presents the survey methodology and its results. Some conclusions are drawn based on the results of the survey.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

Collision energy dependence of source sizes for primary and secondary pions at NICA energies

We study the evolution of the two-pion correlation function parameters with collision energy in the context of relativistic heavy-ion collisions within the NICA energy range. To this end, we perform UrQMD simulations in the cascade mode to produce samples of pions from $5\times 10^6$ Bi+Bi collisions for each of the studied energies. The effects of the quantum-statistical correlations are introduced using the correlation afterburner code CRAB. We fit the correlation function using Gaussian, exponential and symmetric Lévy shapes and show that for all collision energies the latter provides the best fit. We separate the sample into pions coming from primary processes and pions originating from the decay of long-lived resonances, and show that the source size for the latter is significantly larger than for the former. The source size for the secondaries, is similar but in general larger than the size for the whole pion sample. To further characterize the pion source, we also simulate the effects of a non-ideal detector introducing a momentum smearing parameter, representing the minimum pair momentum and thus a maximum source size that can be resolved. The values of the correlation function intercept parameter are therefore modified from the values they attain for the perfect detector case. Using the core-halo picture of the source, we show that the values of the intercept parameter are influenced by the presence of a significant fraction of core pions coming from the decay of long-lived but slow-moving resonances. These findings serve as a benchmark to compare with future Monte Carlo studies that consider an Equation of State and thus allow for a phase transition within the studied energy domain.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

$Λ$ and $\barΛ$ global polarization from the core-corona model

We report on work aimed to describe the $Λ$ and $\barΛ$ global polarizations in a heavy-ion collision environment using the core-corona model, where the source of these hyperons is a high-density core and a less dense corona. We show that the overall properties of the polarization excitation functions can be linked to the relative abundance of $Λ$s and $\barΛ$s coming from the core versus those coming from the corona. Both global polarizations peak at collision energies $\sqrt{s_{NN}} \lesssim 10$ GeV. The exact positions and heights of these peaks depend not only on a reversal of relative abundances with collision energy, but also on the centrality class, both related to the QGP volume and lifetime.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Core meets corona: a two-component source to explain Lambda and anti-Lambda global polarization in semi-central heavy-ion collisions

We compute the Lambda and anti-Lambda global polarization in semi-central heavy-ion collisions modeling the source as consisting of a high-density core and a less dense corona. We show that when more Lambdas than anti-Lambdas are produced in the corona, and this is combined with a smaller number of Lambdas coming from the core, as compared to those coming from the corona, an amplification effect for the anti-Lambda with respect to that of Lambda polarization can occur. This amplification becomes more important for lower collision energies and quantitatively accounts for the Lambda and anti-Lambda polarizations measured by the STAR beam energy scan.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Heavy-ion physics: freedom to do hot, dense, exciting QCD

In these two lectures I review the basics of heavy-ion collisions at relativistic energies and the physics we can do with them. I aim to cover the basics on the kinematics and observables in heavy-ion collider experiments, the basics on the phenomenology of the nuclear matter phase diagram, some of the model building and simulations currently used in the heavy-ion physics community and a selected list of amazing phenomenological discoveries and predictions.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2019

A beam-beam monitoring detector for the MPD experiment at NICA

The Multi-Purpose Detector (MPD) is to be installed at the Nuclotron Ion Collider fAcility (NICA) of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR). Its main goal is to study the phase diagram of the strongly interacting matter produced in heavy-ion collisions. These studies, while providing insight into the physics of heavy-ion collisions, are relevant for improving our understanding of the evolution of the early Universe and the formation of neutron stars. In order to extend the MPD trigger capabilities, we propose to include a high granularity beam-beam monitoring detector (BE-BE) to provide a level-0 trigger signal with an expected time resolution of 30 ps. This new detector will improve the determination of the reaction plane by the MPD experiment, a key measurement for flow studies that provides physics insight into the early stages of the reaction. In this work, we use simulated Au+Au collisions at NICA energies to show the potential of such a detector to determine the event plane resolution, providing further redundancy to the detectors originally considered for this purpose namely, the Fast Forward Detector (FFD) and the Hadron Calorimeter (HCAL). We also show our results for the time resolution studies of two prototype cells carried out at the T10 beam line at the CERN PS complex.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2019

Time resolution studies for scintillating plastics coupled to silicon photo-multipliers

We present results for time resolution studies performed on three different scintillating plastics and two silicon photo-multipliers. These studies are intended to determine whether scintillating plastic/silicon photo-multiplier systems can be employed to provide a fast trigger signal for NICA's Multi Purpose Detector (MPD). Our results show that such a system made of cells with transverse dimensions of order of a few cm, coupled to silicon photo-multipliers, provides a time resolution of about 50 ps, which can be even further improved to attain the MPD trigger requirements of 20 ps.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Prompt photon yield and elliptic flow from gluon fusion induced by magnetic fields in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We compute photon production at early times in semi-central relativistic heavy-ion collisions from non-equilibrium gluon fusion induced by a magnetic field. The calculation accounts for the main features of the collision at these early times, namely, the intense magnetic field and the high gluon occupation number. The gluon fusion channel is made possible by the magnetic field and would otherwise be forbidden due to charge conjugation invariance. Thus, the photon yield from this process is an excess over calculations without magnetic field effects. We compare this excess to the difference between PHENIX data and recent hydrodynamic calculations for the photon transverse momentum distribution and elliptic flow coefficient $v_2$. We show that with reasonable values for the saturation scale and magnetic field strength, the calculation helps to better describe the experimental results obtained at RHIC energies for the lowest part of the transverse photon momentum.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Relating $\hat{q}$, $η/s$ and $ΔE$ in an expanding Quark-Gluon Plasma

We use linear viscous hydrodynamics to describe the energy and momentum deposited by a fast moving parton in a quark gluon plasma. This energy-momentum is in turn used to compute the probability density for the production of soft partons by means of the Cooper-Frye formula. We use this probability density to render manifest a relation between the average transverse momentum given to the fast moving parton from the medium $\hat{q}$, the entropy density to shear viscosity ratio $η/s$ and the energy lost by the fast moving parton $ΔE$ in an expanding medium under similar conditions to those generated in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LHC. We find that $\hat{q}$ increases linearly with $ΔE$ for both trigger and away side partons that have been produced throughout the medium. On the other hand, $η/s$ is more stable with $ΔE$. We also study how these transport coefficients vary with the geometrical location of the hard scattering that produces the fast moving partons. The behavior of $\hat{q}$, with $ΔE$ is understood as arising from the length of medium the parton traverses from the point where it is produced. However, since $η/s$ is proportional to the ratio of the length of medium traversed by the fast parton and the average number of scatterings it experiences, it has a milder dependence on the energy it loses. This study represents a tool to obtain a direct connection between transport coefficients and the description of in-medium energy loss within a linear viscous hydrodynamical evolution of the bulk.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Jet asymmetry and momentum imbalance from $2 \to 2$ and $2 \to 3$ partonic processes in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We study momentum imbalance as a function of jet asymmetry in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. To implement parton production during the collision, we include all Leading Order (LO) $2\to 2$ and $2\to 3$ parton processes in pQCD. The produced partons lose energy within the quark gluon plasma and hadronize collinearly when they leave it. The energy and momentum deposited into the plasma is described using linear viscous hydrodynamics with a constant energy loss per unit length and a total energy loss given by a Gaussian probability centered around a mean value $\bar{\mathcal{E}}$ and a half-width $Δ{\mathcal{E}}$. We argue that the shape of the asymmetry observed by the CERN-CMS Collaboration can indeed be attributed to parton energy loss in the medium and that a good description of data is achieved when one includes a slight enhancement coming from the contribution of $2\to 3$ parton processes that modifies the asymmetry distribution of the dijet events. We compare our results to CMS data for the most central collisions and study different values for $\bar{\mathcal{E}}$ and $Δ{\mathcal{E}}$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Impact of the energy loss spatial profile and shear viscosity to entropy density ratio for the Mach cone vs. head shock signals produced by a fast moving parton in a quark-gluon plasma

We compute the energy and momentum deposited by a fast moving parton in a quark-gluon plasma using linear viscous hydrodynamics with an energy loss per unit length profile proportional to the path length and with different values of the shear viscosity to entropy density ratio. We show that when varying these parameters, the transverse modes still dominate over the longitudinal ones and thus energy and momentum is preferentially deposited along the head-shock, as in the case of a constant energy loss per unit length profile and the lowest value for the shear viscosity to entropy density ratio.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Thermo-magnetic behavior of the quark-gluon vertex

The thermo-magnetic corrections to the quark-gluon vertex in the presence of a weak magnetic field are calculated in the frame of the Hard Thermal Loop approximation. The vertex satisfies a QED-like Ward identity with the quark self-energy calculated within the same approximation. It turns out that only the longitudinal vertex components get modified. The calculation provides a first principles result for the quark anomalous magnetic moment at high temperature in a weak magnetic field. The effective thermo-magnetic quark-gluon coupling shows a decreasing behavior as function of the field strength. This result supports the observation that the behavior of the effective quark-gluon coupling in the presence of a magnetic field is an important ingredient in order to understand the inverse magnetic catalysis phenomenon recently observed in the lattice QCD simulations.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Small-$x$ QCD evolution of $2 n$ Wilson line correlator: the weak field limit

We write down explicit expressions for the $x$-evolution (equivalent to energy or rapidity evolution) of $2 n$ ($n = 1, 2, ...$) Wilson lines using the JIMWLK equation and the Color Glass Condensate formalism. We investigate the equation in the weak gluon field limit (linear regime) by expanding the Wilson lines in powers of the gluon field and show that it reduces to the BJKP equation describing the evolution of a state of $2 n$ Reggeized gluons with energy. We also make available for download a {\it Mathematica} program which provides this expression for any value of $n$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Finite temperature quark-gluon vertex with a magnetic field in the Hard Thermal Loop approximation

We compute the thermo-magnetic correction to the quark-gluon vertex in the presence of a weak magnetic field within the Hard Thermal Loop approximation. The vertex satisfies a QED-like Ward identity with the quark self-energy. The only vertex components that get modified are the longitudinal ones. The calculation provides a first principles result for the quark anomalous magnetic moment at high temperature in a weak magnetic field. We extract the effective thermo-magnetic quark-gluon coupling and show that this decreases as a function of the field strength. The result supports the idea that the properties of the effective quark-gluon coupling in the presence of a magnetic field are an important ingredient to understand the inverse magnetic catalysis phenomenon.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Head shock vs Mach cone: azimuthal correlations from 2 to 3 parton processes in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We study the energy-momentum deposited by fast moving partons within a medium using linearized viscous hydrodynamics. The particle distribution produced by this energy-momentum is computed using the Cooper-Frye formalism. We show that for the conditions arising in heavy-ion collisions, energy momentum is preferentially deposited along the head shock of the fast moving partons. We also show that the double hump in the away-side of azimuthal correlations can be produced by two (instead of one) away-side partons that deposit their energy-momentum along their directions of motion. These partons are originated in the in-medium hard scattering in 2 to 3 processes. We compare the results of the analysis to azimuthal angular correlations from PHENIX and show that the calculation reproduces the data systematics of a decreasing away-side correlation when the momentum of the associated hadron becomes closer to the momentum of the leading hadron. This scenario seems to avoid the shortcomings of the Mach cone as the origin of the double-hump structure in the away-side

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Monte Carlo approach for hadron azimuthal correlations in high energy proton and nuclear collisions

We use a Monte Carlo approach to study hadron azimuthal angular correlations in high energy proton-proton and central nucleus-nucleus collisions at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) energies at mid-rapidity. We build a hadron event generator that incorporates the production of $2\to 2$ and $2\to 3$ parton processes and their evolution into hadron states. For nucleus-nucleus collisions we include the effect of parton energy loss in the Quark-Gluon Plasma using a modified fragmentation function approach. In the presence of the medium, for the case when three partons are produced in the hard scattering, we analyze the Monte Carlo sample in parton and hadron momentum bins to reconstruct the angular correlations. We characterize this sample by the number of partons that are able to hadronize by fragmentation within the selected bins. In the nuclear environment the model allows hadronization by fragmentation only for partons with momentum above a threshold $p_T^{\tiny{thresh}}=2.4$ GeV. We argue that one should treat properly the effect of those partons with momentum below the threshold, since their interaction with the medium may lead to showers of low momentum hadrons along the direction of motion of the original partons as the medium becomes diluted.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Three-hadron angular correlations from pQCD at RHIC and LHC

We study three-hadron azimuthal angular correlations in high energy proton-proton and central nucleus-nucleus collisions at RHIC and LHC at mid-rapidity. We use the LO parton matrix elements for 2 \rightarrow 3 processes and include the effect of parton energy loss in the Quark-Gluon Plasma using the modified fragmentation function approach. For the case when the produced hadrons have either same or not too different momenta, we observe two away side peaks at 2pi/3 and 4pi/3. We consider the dependence of the angular correlations on energy loss parameters that have been used in studies of single inclusive hadron production at RHIC. Our results on the angular dependence of the cross section agree well with preliminary data by the PHENIX collaboration. We comment on the possible contribution of 2 \rightarrow 3 processes to di-hadron angular correlations and how a comparison of the two processes may help characterize the plasma further.

hep-ph↗