Showing papers by "Malgorzata Anna Janik published in 2013"

Centrality dependence of pi, K, and p production in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV

Abstract: In this paper measurements are presented of pi(+/-), K-+/-, p, and (p) over bar production at midrapidity (vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.5), in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV as a function of centrality. The measurement covers the transverse-momentum (p(T)) range from 100, 200, and 300 MeV/c up to 3, 3, and 4.6 GeV/c for pi, K, and p, respectively. The measured p(T) distributions and yields are compared to expectations based on hydrodynamic, thermal and recombination models. The spectral shapes of central collisions show a stronger radial flow than measured at lower energies, which can be described in hydrodynamic models. In peripheral collisions, the p(T) distributions are not well reproduced by hydrodynamic models. Ratios of integrated particle yields are found to be nearly independent of centrality. The yield of protons normalized to pions is a factor similar to 1.5 lower than the expectation from thermal models.

Centrality determination of Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV with ALICE

Abstract: This publication describes the methods used to measure the centrality of inelastic Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 2.76 TeV per colliding nucleon pair with ALICE. The centrality is a key parameter in the study of the properties of QCD matter at extreme temperature and energy density, because it is directly related to the initial overlap region of the colliding nuclei. Geometrical properties of the collision, such as the number of participating nucleons and the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions, are deduced from a Glauber model with a sharp impact parameter selection and shown to be consistent with those extracted from the data. The centrality determination provides a tool to compare ALICE measurements with those of other experiments and with theoretical calculations.

K-S(0) and Lambda Production in Pb-Pb Collisions at root s(NN)=2: 76 TeV

Abstract: The ALICE measurement of K^0_S and {\Lambda} production at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt(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 {\Lambda}) to 12 GeV/c. The pT dependence of the {\Lambda}/K^0_S 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 sqrt(s) = 0.9 TeV and at sqrt(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 {\Lambda}/K^0_S ratio.

Long-range angular correlations of pi, K and p in p-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

Abstract: Angular correlations between unidentified charged trigger particles and various species of charged associated particles (unidentified particles, pions, kaons, protons and antiprotons) are measured by the ALICE detector in p-Pb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV in the transverse-momentum range 0.3 < p(T) < 4 GeV/c. The correlations expressed as associated yield per trigger particle are obtained in the pseudorapidity range vertical bar n(lab)vertical bar < 0.8. Fourier coefficients are extracted from the long-range correlations projected onto the azimuthal angle difference and studied as a function of p(T) and in intervals of event multiplicity. In high-multiplicity events, the second-order coefficient for protons, 4, is observed to be smaller than that for pions, v(2)(pi), up to about p(T) = 2 GeV/c. To reduce correlations due to jets, the per-trigger yield measured in low-multiplicity events is subtracted from that in high-multiplicity events. A two-ridge structure is obtained for all particle species. The Fourier decomposition of this structure shows that the second-order coefficients for pions and kaons are similar. The v(2)(p) is found to be smaller at low P-T and larger at higher p(T) than v(2)(pi), with a crossing occurring at about 2 GeV/c. This is qualitatively similar to the elliptic-flow pattern observed in heavy-ion collisions. A mass ordering effect at low transverse momenta is consistent with expectations from hydrodynamic model calculations assuming a collectively expanding system. (C) 2013 CERN. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Performance of the ALICE VZERO system

Abstract: ALICE is an LHC experiment devoted to the study of strongly interacting matter in proton-proton, proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions at ultra-relativistic energies. The ALICE VZERO system, made of two scintillator arrays at asymmetric positions, one on each side of the interaction point, plays a central role in ALICE. In addition to its core function as a trigger source, the VZERO system is used to monitor LHC beam conditions, to reject beam-induced backgrounds and to measure basic physics quantities such as luminosity, particle multiplicity, centrality and event plane direction in nucleus-nucleus collisions. After describing the VZERO system, this publication presents its performance over more than four years of operation at the LHC.

Charge separation relative to the reaction plane in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−−√=2.76 TeV

Abstract: Measurements of charge-dependent azimuthal correlations with the ALICE detector at the LHC are reported for Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV. Two- and three-particle charge-dependent azimuthal correlations in the pseudorapidity range vertical bar eta vertical bar < 0.8 are presented as a function of the collision centrality, particle separation in pseudorapidity, and transverse momentum. A clear signal compatible with a charge-dependent separation relative to the reaction plane is observed, which shows little or no collision energy dependence when compared to measurements at RHIC energies. This provides a new insight for understanding the nature of the charge-dependent azimuthal correlations observed at RHIC and LHC energies. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.012301

Coherent J/psi photoproduction in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV

Abstract: The ALICE Collaboration has made the first measurement at the LHC of J/psi photoproduction in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV. The J/psi is identified via its dimuon decay in the forward rapidity region with the muon spectrometer for events where the hadronic activity is required to be minimal. The analysis is based on an event sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 55 mu b(-1). The cross section for coherent J/psi production in the rapidity interval -3.6 < y < -2.6 is measured to be d sigma(coh)(J/psi)/dy = 1.00 +/- 0.18(stat)(-0.26)(+0.24)(syst) mb. The result is compared to theoretical models for coherent J/psi production and found to be in good agreement with those models which include nuclear gluon shadowing. (C) 2012 CERN. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transverse Momentum Distribution and Nuclear Modification Factor of Charged Particles in p plus Pb Collisions at root(NN)-N-s=5.02 TeV

Abstract: The transverse momentum (pT) distribution of primary charged particles is measured in minimum bias (non-single-diffractive) p + Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-s = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The pT spectra measured near central rapidity in the range 0.5< p(T) < 20 GeV/c exhibit a weak pseudorapidity dependence. The nuclear modification factor R-pPb is consistent with unity for p(T) above 2 GeV/c. This measurement indicates that the strong suppression of hadron production at high p(T) observed in Pb + Pb collisions at the LHC is not due to an initial-state effect. The measurement is compared to theoretical calculations. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.082302

Pseudorapidity density of charged particles in p+Pb collisions at √sNN=5.02 TeV

Abstract: The charged-particle pseudorapidity density measured over four units of pseudorapidity in nonsingle-diffractive p + Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair root s(NN) = 5.02 TeV is presented. The average value at midrapidity is measured to be 16.81 +/- 0.71 (syst), which corresponds to 2.14 +/- 0.17 (syst) per participating nucleon, calculated with the Glauber model. This is 16% lower than in nonsingle-diffractive pp collisions interpolated to the same collision energy and 84% higher than in d + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 0.2 TeV. The measured pseudorapidity density in p + Pb collisions is compared to model predictions and provides new constraints on the description of particle production in high-energy nuclear collisions. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.032301

J/psi Elliptic Flow in Pb-Pb Collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV

Abstract: We report on the first measurement of inclusive J/psi elliptic flow v(2) in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV in the rapidity range 2.5 < y < 4.0. The dependence of the J/psi v(2) on the collision centrality and on the J/psi transverse momentum is studied in the range 0 <= p(T) < 10 GeV/c. For semicentral Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV, an indication of nonzero v(2) is observed with a largest measured value of v(2) = 0.116 +/-0.046(stat) +/- 0.029(syst) for J/psi in the transverse momentum range 2 <= p(T) < 4 GeV/c. The elliptic flow measurement complements the previously reported ALICE results on the inclusive J/psi nuclear modification factor and favors the scenario of a significant fraction of J/psi production from charm quarks in a deconfined partonic phase.

Net-charge fluctuations in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV

Abstract: We report the first measurement of the net-charge fluctuations in Pb-Pb collisions at \surd s_NN 2.76 TeV, measured with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The dynamical fluctuations per unit entropy are observed to decrease when going from peripheral to central collisions. An additional reduction in the amount of fluctuations is seen in comparison to the results from lower energies. We examine the dependence of fluctuations on the pseudo-rapidity interval, which may account for the dilution of fluctuations during the evolution of the system. We find that the ALICE data points are between the theoretically predicted values for a hadron gas and a Quark-Gluon Plasma.

Multiplicity dependence of two-particle azimuthal correlations in pp collisions at the LHC

Abstract: We present the measurements of particle pair yields per trigger particle obtained from di-hadron azimuthal correlations in pp collisions at root s = 0.9, 2.76, and 7TeV recorded with the ALICE detector. The yields are studied as a function of the charged particle multiplicity. Taken together with the single particle yields the pair yields provide information about parton fragmentation at low transverse momenta, as well as on the contribution of multiple parton interactions to particle production. Data are compared to calculations using the PYTHIA6, PYTHIA8, and PHOJET event generators.

Charged kaon femtoscopic correlations in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV

Abstract: Correlations of two charged identical kaons (KchKch) are measured in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV by the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). One-dimensional (KKch)-K-ch correlation functions are constructed in three multiplicity and four transverse momentum ranges. The (KKch)-K-ch femtoscopic source parameters R and lambda are extracted. The (KKch)-K-ch correlations show a slight increase of femtoscopic radii with increasing multiplicity and a slight decrease of radii with increasing transverse momentum. These trends are similar to the ones observed for pi pi and K-s(0) K-s(0) correlations in pp and heavy-ion collisions. However at high multiplicities, there is an indication that the one-dimensional correlation radii for charged kaons are larger than those for pions in contrast to what was observed in heavy-ion collisions at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider. DOI:10.1103/PhysRevD.87.052016

Highlights from ALICE at LHC

Abstract: ALICE designed as a general purpose heavy-ion detector for the CERN Large Hadron Collider successfully recorded pp, p–Pb and Pb–Pb collisions at different centre of mass energies. The data analysis shows intriguing properties of the matter produced in Pb–Pb collisions. The results indicate that the created system is larger, hotter and denser compared to the one created in heavy-ion collisions at lower energies and it still behaves like a perfect, strongly interacting liquid.