Showing papers by "Malgorzata Anna Janik published in 2016"

Centrality Dependence of the Charged-Particle Multiplicity Density at Midrapidity in Pb-Pb Collisions at sNN =5.02 TeV

Abstract: The pseudorapidity density of charged particles, dNch/dη, at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions has been measured at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of √sNN=5.02 TeV. For the 5% most central collisions, we measure a value of 1943 ± 54. The rise in dNch/dη as a function of √sNN p is steeper than that observed in proton-proton collisions and follows the trend established by measurements at lower energy. The increase of dNch/dη as a function of the average number of participant nucleons, ⟨Npart⟩, calculated in a Glauber model, is compared with the previous measurement at √sNN=2.76 TeV. A constant factor of about 1.2 describes the increase in dNch/dη from √sNN=2.76 to 5.02 TeV 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.

Anisotropic Flow of Charged Particles in Pb-Pb Collisions at √sNN=5.02 TeV

Abstract: We report the first results of elliptic (v2), triangular (v3), and quadrangular (v4) flow of charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of √sNN=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

Correlated event-by-event Fluctuations of Flow Harmonics in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN =2.76 TeV

Abstract: We report the measurements of correlations between event-by-event fluctuations of amplitudes of anisotropic flow harmonics in nucleus-nucleus collisions, obtained for the first time using a new analysis method based on multiparticle cumulants in mixed harmonics. This novel method is robust against systematic biases originating from non-flow effects and by construction any dependence on symmetry planes is eliminated. We demonstrate that correlations of flow harmonics exhibit a better sensitivity to medium properties than the individual flow harmonics. The new measurements are performed in Pb-Pb collisions at the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}=2.76$ TeV by the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The centrality dependence of correlation between event-by-event fluctuations of the elliptic, $v_2$, and quadrangular, $v_4$, flow harmonics, as well as of anti-correlation between $v_2$ and triangular, $v_3$, flow harmonics are presented. The results cover two different regimes of the initial state configurations: geometry-dominated (in mid-central collisions) and fluctuation-dominated (in the most central collisions). Comparisons are made to predictions from MC-Glauber, viscous hydrodynamics, AMPT and HIJING models. Together with the existing measurements of individual flow harmonics the presented results provide further constraints on initial conditions and the transport properties of the system produced in heavy-ion collisions.

Centrality dependence of the nuclear modification factor of charged pions, kaons, and protons in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV

Abstract: Transverse momentum (pT) spectra of pions, kaons, and protons up to pT=20GeV/c have been measured in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76TeV 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 pT≈3GeV/c in central Pb-Pb collisions that decreases for more peripheral collisions. For pT>10GeV/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 pT<10GeV/c, the data provide important constraints for models aimed at describing the transition from soft to hard physics.

Transverse momentum dependence of D-meson production in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN = 2.76 TeV

Abstract: The production of prompt charmed mesons D0, D+ and D∗+, and their antiparticles, was measured with the ALICE detector in Pb-Pb collisions at the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair, (Formula presented.) , of 2.76 TeV. The production yields for rapidity |y| < 0.5 are presented as a function of transverse momentum, pT, in the interval 1–36 GeV/c for the centrality class 0–10% and in the interval 1–16 GeV/c for the centrality class 30–50%. The nuclear modification factor RAA was computed using a proton-proton reference at (Formula presented.) TeV, based on measurements at (Formula presented.) TeV and on theoretical calculations. A maximum suppression by a factor of 5-6 with respect to binary-scaled pp yields is observed for the most central collisions at pT of about 10 GeV/c. A suppression by a factor of about 2-3 persists at the highest pT covered by the measurements. At low pT (1-3 GeV/c), the RAA has large uncertainties that span the range 0.35 (factor of about 3 suppression) to 1 (no suppression). In all pT intervals, the RAA is larger in the 30-50% centrality class compared to central collisions. The D-meson RAA is also compared with that of charged pions and, at large pT, charged hadrons, and with model calculations.

Measurement of an excess in the Yield of J/ψ at very low pT in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV

Abstract: We report on the first measurement of an excess in the yield of J/ψ at very low transverse momentum (pT< 0.3 GeV/c) in peripheral hadronic Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN = 2.76 TeV, performed by ALICE at the CERN LHC. Remarkably, the measured nuclear modification factor of J/ψ in the rapidity range 2.5< y< 4 reaches about 7 (2) in the pT range 0- 0.3 GeV/c in the 70-90% (50-70%) centrality class. The J/ψ production cross section associated with the observed excess is obtained under the hypothesis that coherent photoproduction of J/ψ is the underlying physics mechanism. If confirmed, the observation of J/ψ coherent photoproduction in Pb-Pb collisions at impact parameters smaller than twice the nuclear radius opens new theoretical and experimental challenges and opportunities. In particular, coherent photoproduction accompanying hadronic collisions may provide insight into the dynamics of photoproduction and nuclear reactions, as well as become a novel probe of the Quark-Gluon Plasma.

Production of K∗(892)0 and ϕ (1020) in p–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV

Abstract: The production of K$^{*}$(892)$^{0}$ and $\phi$(1020) mesons has been measured in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV. K$^{*0}$ and $\phi$ are reconstructed via their decay into charged hadrons with the ALICE detector in the rapidity range $-0.5 < y <0$. The transverse momentum spectra, measured as a function of the multiplicity, have p$_{\mathrm{T}}$ range from 0 to 15 GeV/$c$ for K$^{*0}$ and from 0.3 to 21 GeV/$c$ for $\phi$. Integrated yields, mean transverse momenta and particle ratios are reported and compared with results in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV and Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV. In Pb-Pb and p-Pb collisions, K$^{*0}$ and $\phi$ probe the hadronic phase of the system and contribute to the study of particle formation mechanisms by comparison with other identified hadrons. For this purpose, the mean transverse momenta and the differential proton-to-$\phi$ ratio are discussed as a function of the multiplicity of the event. The short-lived K$^{*0}$ is measured to investigate re-scattering effects, believed to be related to the size of the system and to the lifetime of the hadronic phase.

Event-shape engineering for inclusive spectra and elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN = 2.76 TeV

Abstract: We report on results obtained with the event-shape engineering technique applied to Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=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 v2 to be almost independent of transverse momentum pT, which is as expected if this effect is attributable 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.

Particle identification in ALICE: a Bayesian approach

Abstract: We present a Bayesian approach to particle identification (PID) within the ALICE experiment. The aim is to more effectively combine the particle identification capabilities of its various detectors. After a brief explanation of the adopted methodology and formalism, the performance of the Bayesian PID approach for charged pions, kaons and protons in the central barrel of ALICE is studied. PID is performed via measurements of specific energy loss (dE/dx) and time of flight. PID efficiencies and misidentification probabilities are extracted and compared with Monte Carlo simulations using high-purity samples of identified particles in the decay channels K-S(0) -> pi(-)pi(+), phi -> K-K+, and A -> p pi(-) in p-Pb collisions at root sNN = 5.02 TeV. In order to thoroughly assess the validity of the Bayesian approach, this methodology was used to obtain corrected p(T) spectra of pions, kaons, protons, and D-0 mesons in pp collisions at root s = 7TeV. In all cases, the results using Bayesian PID were found to be consistent with previous measurements performed by ALICE using a standard PID approach. For the measurement of D-0 -> K-pi(+), it was found that a Bayesian PID approach gave a higher signal-to-background ratio and a similar or larger statistical significance when compared with standard PID selections, despite a reduced identification efficiency. Finally, we present an exploratory study of the measurement of A(c)(+) -> pK(-)pi(+) in pp collisions at root s = 7TeV, using the Bayesian approach for the identification of its decay products.

Higher harmonic flow coefficients of identified hadrons in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV

Abstract: The elliptic, triangular, quadrangular and pentagonal anisotropic flow coefficients for π±, K± and p+p− in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV were measured with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The results were obtained with the Scalar Product method, correlating the identified hadrons with reference particles from a different pseudorapidity region. Effects not related to the common event symmetry planes (non- flow) were estimated using correlations in pp collisions and were subtracted from the measurement. The obtained flow coefficients exhibit a clear mass ordering for transverse momentum (pT) values below ≈ 3 GeV/c. In the intermediate pT region (3< pT< 6 GeV/c), particles group at an approximate level according to the number of constituent quarks, suggesting that coalescence might be the relevant particle production mechanism in this region. The results for pT< 3 GeV/c are described fairly well by a hydrodynamical model (iEBE-VISHNU) that uses initial conditions generated by A Multi-Phase Transport model (AMPT) and describes the expansion of the fireball using a value of 0.08 for the ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density (η/s), coupled to a hadronic cascade model (UrQMD). Finally, expectations from AMPT alone fail to quantitatively describe the measurements for all harmonics throughout the measured transverse momentum region. However, the comparison to the AMPT model highlights the importance of the late hadronic rescattering stage to the development of the observed mass ordering at low values of pT and of coalescence as a particle production mechanism for the particle type grouping at intermediate values of pT for all harmonics.

Multiplicity-dependent enhancement of strange and multi-strange hadron production in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV

Abstract: The yields of strange (${\rm K}^{0}_{S}$, $\Lambda$, $\bar{\Lambda}$) and multi-strange ($\Xi^{-}$, $\bar{\Xi}^{+}$, $\Omega^{-}$, $\bar{\Omega}^{+}$) hadrons are measured at midrapidity in proton-proton (pp) collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity density (${\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta$).The production rate of strange particles increases faster than that of non-strange hadrons, leading to an enhancement of strange particles relative to pions, similar to that found in nucleus-nucleus collisions as well as in proton-nucleus collisions at the LHC. This is the first observation of an enhanced production of strange particles in high-multiplicity pp collisions. The magnitude of this strangeness enhancement increases with the event activity, quantified by ${\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta$, and with hadron strangeness. It reaches almost a factor of two for the $\Omega$ at the highest multiplicity presented. No enhancement is observed for particles with no strange quark content, demonstrating that the observed effect is strangeness rather than mass related. The results are not reproduced by any of the Monte Carlo models commonly used at the LHC, suggesting that further developments are needed for a complete microscopic understanding of strangeness production and indicating the presence of a phenomenon novel in high-multiplicity pp collisions.

Measurement of Ds+ production and nuclear modification factor in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV

Abstract: The production of prompt D$_s^+$ mesons was measured for the first time in collisions of heavy nuclei with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The analysis was performed on a data sample of Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair, $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$, of 2.76 TeV in two different centrality classes, namely 0-10% and 20-50%. D$_s^+$ mesons and their antiparticles were reconstructed at mid-rapidity from their hadronic decay channel D$_s^+\rightarrow\phi\pi^+$, with $\phi\rightarrow$K$^-$K$^+$, in the transverse momentum intervals $4< p_{\rm T}<12$ GeV/$c$ and $6< p_{\rm T}<12$ GeV/$c$ for the 0-10% and 20-50% centrality classes, respectively. The nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$ was computed by comparing the $p_{\rm T}$-differential production yields in Pb-Pb collisions to those in proton-proton (pp) collisions at the same energy. This pp reference was obtained using the cross section measured at $\sqrt{s}= 7$ TeV and scaled to $\sqrt{s}= 2.76$ TeV. The $R_{\rm AA}$ of D$_s^+$ mesons was compared to that of non-strange D mesons in the 10% most central Pb-Pb collisions. At high $p_{\rm T}$ ($8< p_{\rm T}<12$ GeV/$c$) a suppression of the D$_s^+$-meson yield by a factor of about three, compatible within uncertainties with that of non-strange D mesons, is observed. At lower $p_{\rm T}$ ($4< p_{\rm T}<8$ GeV/$c$) the values of the D$_s^+$-meson $R_{\rm AA}$ are larger than those of non-strange D mesons, although compatible within uncertainties. The production ratios D$_s^+$/D$^0$ and D$_s^+$\D$^+$ were also measured in Pb-Pb collisions and compared to their values in proton-proton collisions.

Inclusive quarkonium production at forward rapidity in pp collisions at root s=8 TeV

Abstract: We report on the inclusive production cross sections of J/$\psi$, $\psi$(2S), $\Upsilon$(1S), $\Upsilon$(2S) and $\Upsilon$(3S), measured at forward rapidity with the ALICE detector in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV. The analysis is based on data collected at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.28 pb$^{-1}$. Quarkonia are reconstructed in the dimuon-decay channel. The differential production cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momentum $p_{\rm T}$ and rapidity $y$, over the $p_{\rm T}$ ranges $0

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

Abstract: 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, $\mathrm{\Delta}\eta$ and $\mathrm{\Delta}\varphi$ 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 $\mathrm{\Delta}\eta$ and $\mathrm{\Delta}\varphi$ 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.

Study of cosmic ray events with high muon multiplicity using the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

Abstract: ALICE is one of four large experiments at the CERN Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, specially designed to study particle production in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Located 52 meters underground with 28 meters of overburden rock, it has also been used to detect muons produced by cosmic ray interactions in the upper atmosphere. In this paper, we present the multiplicity distribution of these atmospheric muons and its comparison with Monte Carlo simulations. This analysis exploits the large size and excellent tracking capability of the ALICE Time Projection Chamber. A special emphasis is given to the study of high multiplicity events containing more than 100 reconstructed muons and corresponding to a muon areal density $\rho_{\mu} > 5.9~$m$^{-2}$. Similar events have been studied in previous underground experiments such as ALEPH and DELPHI at LEP. While these experiments were able to reproduce the measured muon multiplicity distribution with Monte Carlo simulations at low and intermediate multiplicities, their simulations failed to describe the frequency of the highest multiplicity events. In this work we show that the high multiplicity events observed in ALICE stem from primary cosmic rays with energies above $10^{16}$ eV and that the frequency of these events can be successfully described by assuming a heavy mass composition of primary cosmic rays in this energy range. The development of the resulting air showers was simulated using the latest version of QGSJET to model hadronic interactions. This observation places significant constraints on alternative, more exotic, production mechanisms for these events.