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Binding of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor triggers translocation of the virus into cells. Both the ACE2 receptor and the spike protein are heavily glycosylated, including at sites near their binding interface. We built fully glycosylated models of the ACE2 receptor bound to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Using atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we found that the glycosylation of the human ACE2 receptor contributes substantially to the binding of the virus. Interestingly, the glycans at two glycosylation sites, N90 and N322, have opposite effects on spike protein binding. The glycan at the N90 site partly covers the binding interface of the spike RBD. Therefore, this glycan can interfere with the binding of the spike protein and protect against docking of the virus to the cell. By contrast, the glycan at the N322 site interacts tightly with the RBD of the ACE2-bound spike protein and strengthens the complex. Remarkably, the N322 glycan binds to a conserved region of the spike protein identified previously as a cryptic epitope for a neutralizing antibody. By mapping the glycan binding sites, our MD simulations aid in the targeted development of neutralizing antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors.
By using 6.32 fb−1 of data collected with the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies between 4.178 and 4.226 GeV, we perform an amplitude analysis of the decay D+s ! K0S + 0 and determine the relative fractions and phase differences of different intermediate processes, which include K0S (770)+, K0S (1450)+, K (892)0 +, K (892)+ 0, and K (1410)0 +. With the detection efficiency based on the amplitude analysis results, the absolute branching fraction is measured to be B(D+s ! K0S + 0) = (5.43 ± 0.30stat ± 0.15syst) × 10−3.
Cysteine cross-linking in native membranes establishes the transmembrane architecture of Ire1
(2021)
The ER is a key organelle of membrane biogenesis and crucial for the folding of both membrane and secretory proteins. Sensors of the unfolded protein response (UPR) monitor the unfolded protein load in the ER and convey effector functions for maintaining ER homeostasis. Aberrant compositions of the ER membrane, referred to as lipid bilayer stress, are equally potent activators of the UPR. How the distinct signals from lipid bilayer stress and unfolded proteins are processed by the conserved UPR transducer Ire1 remains unknown. Here, we have generated a functional, cysteine-less variant of Ire1 and performed systematic cysteine cross-linking experiments in native membranes to establish its transmembrane architecture in signaling-active clusters. We show that the transmembrane helices of two neighboring Ire1 molecules adopt an X-shaped configuration independent of the primary cause for ER stress. This suggests that different forms of stress converge in a common, signaling-active transmembrane architecture of Ire1.
Background: Organoids are morphologically heterogeneous three-dimensional cell culture systems and serve as an ideal model for understanding the principles of collective cell behaviour in mammalian organs during development, homeostasis, regeneration, and pathogenesis. To investigate the underlying cell organisation principles of organoids, we imaged hundreds of pancreas and cholangiocarcinoma organoids in parallel using light sheet and bright-field microscopy for up to 7 days.
Results: We quantified organoid behaviour at single-cell (microscale), individual-organoid (mesoscale), and entire-culture (macroscale) levels. At single-cell resolution, we monitored formation, monolayer polarisation, and degeneration and identified diverse behaviours, including lumen expansion and decline (size oscillation), migration, rotation, and multi-organoid fusion. Detailed individual organoid quantifications lead to a mechanical 3D agent-based model. A derived scaling law and simulations support the hypotheses that size oscillations depend on organoid properties and cell division dynamics, which is confirmed by bright-field microscopy analysis of entire cultures.
Conclusion: Our multiscale analysis provides a systematic picture of the diversity of cell organisation in organoids by identifying and quantifying the core regulatory principles of organoid morphogenesis.
The search for short-lived particles is usually the final stage in the chain of event reconstruction and precedes event selection when operating in online mode or physics analysis when operating in offline mode. Most often such short-lived particles are neutral and their search and reconstruction is carried out using their daughter charged particles resulting from their decay.
The use of the missing mass method makes it possible to find and analyze also decays of charged short-lived particles, when one of the daughter particles is neutral and is not registered in the detector system. One of the most known examples of such decays is the decay Σ− → nπ−.
In this paper, we discuss in detail the missing mass method, which was implemented as part of the KF Particle Finder package for the search and analysis of short-lived particles, and describe the use of the method in the STAR experiment (BNL, USA).
The method was used to search for pion (π± → μ±ν) and kaon (K± → μ±ν and K± → π±π0) decays online on the HLT farm in the express production chain. An important feature of the express production chain in the STAR experiment is that it allows one to start calibration, production, and analysis of the data immediately after receiving them.
Here, the particular features and results of the real-time application of the method within the express processing of data obtained in the BES-II program at a beam energy of 3.85 GeV/n when working with a fixed target are presented and discussed.
Lattice constraints on the QCD chiral phase transition at finite temperature and baryon density
(2021)
The thermal restoration of chiral symmetry in QCD is known to proceed by an analytic crossover, which is widely expected to turn into a phase transition with a critical endpoint as the baryon density is increased. In the absence of a genuine solution to the sign problem of lattice QCD, simulations at zero and imaginary baryon chemical potential in a parameter space enlarged by a variable number of quark flavours and quark masses constitute a viable way to constrain the location of a possible non-analytic phase transition and its critical endpoint. In this article I review recent progress towards an understanding of the nature of the transition in the massless limit, and its critical temperature at zero density. Combined with increasingly detailed studies of the physical crossover region, current data bound a possible critical point to μB ≳ 3T.
In dieser Bachelorarbeit werden verschiedene Methoden zur Bestimmung der Betriebsfrequenz von CH-Kavitäten untersucht. Aufgrund der geometrisch komplexen Form der Beschleunigungsstruktur, können die Eigenfrequenzen nicht mithilfe von analytischen Methoden bestimmt werden. Üblicherweise werden die Eigenfrequenzen, ihre Ladungsund Stromdichten, sowie die elektromagnetischen Felder über numerische Methoden der Computational Electromagnetics (CEM) ermittelt. Die CEM ist eine junge Disziplin, deren Performanz und Anwendungsgebiete in den letzten 20 Jahren rapide gewachsen sind. Hauptverantwortlich hierfür ist zum einen das exponentielle Wachstum der Rechenleitung bei gleichbleibenden Kosten, zum anderen die Entwicklung und Verbesserung der Algorithmen. Bis zum Ende des letzten Jahrhunderts wurden elektronische Komponenten hauptsächlich dadurch entwickelt, indem Prototypen angefertigt und analysiert wurden. Diese zeitaufwendige und kostspielige Herangehensweise ist heutzutage nahezu vollständig durch CEM-Simulationen ersetzt worden. Die Hauptmethoden der CEM sind die Finite-Differenzen-Methode (FDM), die Momenten-Methode (MoM) und die Finite-Elemente-Methode (FEM). Für die Bestimmung der Eigenwerte und Eigenvektoren der Beschleunigungsstrukturen eignet sich aufgrund der Stabilität von diesen Dreien am besten die Methode der finiten Elemente. Da die FEM ein rechen- und speicherintensives Verfahren ist, wurde in dieser Arbeit nach einer schnelleren Methode gesucht, um die Betriebsfrequenz von CH-Kavitäten zu bestimmen. Hierfür wurden 84 CH-Kavitäten mithilfe von CST Studio Suite erstellt und simuliert. Es handelt sich hierbei um vier Grundtypen, drei wurden bei einer fixierten Sollfrequenz von 300 MHz konstruiert; die Sollfrequenz des vierten Grundtyps betrug 175 MHz. Die Teilchengeschwindigkeit wurde jeweils in 0,01er-Schrtitten von 0,05 c bis 0,25 c variiert. Aus den Untersuchungen der EM-Felder wurde anschließend ein semi-analytisches Modell entwickelt, das aufgrund der Geometrie der CH-Kavität die Betriebsfrequenz liefern soll.
The magnetic fields generated in non-central heavy-ion collisions are among the strongest fields produced in the Universe, reaching magnitudes comparable to the scale of the strong interactions. Backed by model simulations, the resulting field is expected to be spatially modulated, deviating significantly from the commonly considered uniform profile. To improve our understanding of the physics of quarks and gluons under such extreme conditions, we use lattice QCD simulations with 2+1 staggered fermion flavors with physical quark masses and an inhomogeneous magnetic background for a range of temperatures covering the QCD phase transition. We assume a 1/cosh2 function to model the field profile and vary its strength to analyze the impact on the computed observables and on the transition. We calculate local chiral condensates, local Polyakov loops and estimate the size of lattice artifacts. We find that both observables show non-trivial spatial features due to the interplay between the sea and the valence effects.
We consider a dual representation of an effective three-dimensional Polyakov loop model for the SU(3) theory at nonzero real chemical potential. This representation is free of the sign problem and can be used for numeric Monte-Carlo simulations. These simulations allow us to locate the line of second order phase transitions, that separates the region of first order phase transition from the crossover one. The behavior of local observables in different phases of the model is studied numerically and compared with predictions of the mean-field analysis. Our dual formulation allows us to study also Polyakov loop correlation functions. From these results, we extract the screening masses and compare them with large-N predictions.
The broad class of U(N) and SU(N) Polyakov loop models on the lattice are solved exactly in the combined large N, Nf limit, where N is a number of colors and Nf is a number of quark flavors, and in any dimension. In this ’t Hooft-Veneziano limit the ratio N/Nf is kept fixed. We calculate both the free energy and various correlation functions. The critical behavior of the models is described in details at finite temperatures and non-zero baryon chemical potential. Furthermore, we prove that the calculation of the N-point (baryon) correlation function reduces to the geometric median problem in the confinement phase. In the deconfinement phase we establish an existence of the complex masses and an oscillating decay of correlations in a certain region of parameters.
According to perturbation theory predictions, QCD matter in the zero-temperature, high-density limits of QCD at nonzero isospin chemical potential is expected to be in a superfluid Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) phase of u and d¯ Cooper pairs. It is also expected, on symmetry grounds, that such phase connects via an analytical crossover to the phase with Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of charged pions at μI≥mπ/2. With lattice results, showing some indications that the deconfinement crossover also smoothly penetrates the BEC phase, the conjecture was made that the former connects continuously to the BEC-BCS crossover. We compute the spectrum of the Dirac operator, and use generalized Banks-Casher relations, to test this conjecture and identify signatures of the superfluid BCS phase.
The production of prompt Λ+c baryons at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) was measured in central (0-10%) and mid-central (30-50%) Pb-Pb collisions at the center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector. The Λ+c production yield, the Λ+c/D0 production ratio, and the Λ+c nuclear modification factor RAA are reported. The results are more precise and more differential in transverse momentum (pT) and centrality with respect to previous measurements. The Λ+c/D0 ratio, which is enhanced with respect to the pp measurement for 4<pT<8 GeV/c, is described by theoretical calculations that model the charm-quark transport in the quark-gluon plasma and include hadronization via both coalescence and fragmentation mechanisms.
The order of the chiral phase transition of lattice QCD with unimproved staggered fermions is known to depend on the number of quark flavours, their masses and the lattice spacing. Previous studies in the literature for Nf∈{3,4} show first-order transitions, which weaken with decreasing lattice spacing. Here we investigate what happens when lattices are made coarser to establish contact to the strong coupling region. For Nf∈{4,8} we find a drastic weakening of the transition when going from Nτ=4 to Nτ=2, which is consistent with a second-order chiral transition reported in the literature for Nf=4 in the strong coupling limit. This implies a non-monotonic behaviour of the critical quark or pseudo-scalar meson mass, which separates first-order transitions from crossover behaviour, as a function of lattice spacing.
In the strong coupling and heavy quark mass regime, lattice QCD dimensionally reduces to effective theories of Polyakov loops depending on the parameters of the original Wilson action β,κ and Nτ. We apply coarse graining techniques to such theories in 1d and 2d, corresponding to lattice QCD at finite temperature and non-zero chemical potential in 1+1d and 2+1d, respectively. In 1d the method is applied to the effective theories up to O(κ4). Using the transfer matrix, the recursion relations are solved analytically. The thermodynamic limit is taken for some observables. Afterwards, continuum extrapolation is performed numerically and results are discussed. In 2d the coarse graining method is applied in the pure gauge and static quark limit. Running couplings are obtained and the fixed points of the transformations are discussed. Finally, the critical coupling of the deconfinement transition is determined in both limits. Agreement to about 12% with Monte Carlo results of 2+1d Yang-Mills theory from the literature is observed.
Quenched QCD at zero baryonic chemical potential undergoes a first-order deconfinement phase transition at a critical temperature Tc, which is related to the spontaneous breaking of the global center symmetry. Including heavy, dynamical quarks breaks the center symmetry explicitly and weakens the first-order phase transition. For decreasing quark masses the first-order phase transition turns into a smooth crossover at a Z2-critical point. The critical quark mass corresponding to this point has been examined with Nf=2 Wilson fermions for several Nτ in a recent study within our group. For comparison, we also locate the critical point with Nf=2 staggered fermions on Nτ=8 lattices. For this purpose we perform Monte Carlo simulations for several quark mass values and various aspect ratios in order to extrapolate to the thermodynamic limit. The critical mass is obtained by fitting to a finite size scaling formula of the kurtosis of the Polyakov loop. Our results indicate large discretization effects, requiring simulations on lattices with Nτ>8.
The direct study of transcription or DNA–protein-binding events, requires imaging of individual genes at molecular resolution. Electron microscopy (EM) can show local detail of the genome. However, direct visualization and analysis of specific individual genes is currently not feasible as they cannot be unambiguously localized in the crowded, landmark-free environment of the nucleus. Here, we present a method for the genomic insertion of gene clusters that can be localized and imaged together with their associated protein complexes in the EM. The method uses CRISPR/Cas9 technology to incorporate several genes of interest near the 35S rRNA gene, which is a frequently occurring, easy-to-identify genomic locus within the nucleolus that can be used as a landmark in micrographs. As a proof of principle, we demonstrate the incorporation of the locus-native gene RDN5 and the locus-foreign gene HSX1. This led to a greater than 7-fold enrichment of RNA polymerase III (Pol III) complexes associated with the genes within the field of view, allowing for a significant increase in the analysis yield. This method thereby allows for the insertion and direct visualization of gene clusters for a range of analyses, such as changes in gene activity upon alteration of cellular or external factors.
Die vorliegende Arbeit präsentiert Forschungsarbeiten basierend auf nanoskopischen Oberflächenmessungen an plasmonischen Metaoberflächen und zweidimensionalen Materialien, insbesondere dem halbleitenden Übergangsmetal-Dichalcogenid (TMDC) WS_2. Die Thesis ist in sieben Kapitel untergegliedert. Die Einleitung vermittelt einen Überblick über die treibenden Kräfte hinter der Forschung im Bereich der Nanophotonik an zweidimensionalen Materialsystemen. Die Untersuchung der Licht-Materie-Wechselwirkung an dünnen Materialgrenzflächen zieht sich als roter Faden durch die gesamte Arbeit.
Das zweite Kapitel beschreibt den experimentellen Aufbau, der für die Durchführung der nanoskopischen Messungen in dieser Arbeit implementiert wurde. Es werden theoretische Grundlagen, das Messprinzip und die Implementierung des optischen Rasternahfeldmikroskops (s-SNOM) skizziert. Außerdem wird ein Strom-Spannungs-Rasterkraftmikroskop (c-AFM) im Kontaktmodus genutzt, um elektrische Ströme auf mikroskopischen zweidimensionalen TMDC-Terrassen zu messen. In den darauffolgenden vier Kapiteln werden die Beiträge dieser Arbeit zur Untersuchung der Licht-Materie-Wechselwirkung auf der Nanoskala aus verschiedenen Perspektiven vorgestellt. Jedes Kapitel enthält eine kurze Einleitung, einen Theorieteil, Messdaten oder Simulationsergebnisse sowie eine Analyse; vervollständigt durch einen Schlussteil.
Die zentrale Arbeit an einer metallischen Metaoberfläche aus elliptischen Goldscheiben wird in Kapitel 3 vorgestellt. Der zugehörige Theorieteil führt in das Konzept von Oberflächen-Plasmon-Polaritonen (SPP) ein, das für den Forschungsbereich der Plasmonik im Allgemeinen wesentlich ist. Verschiedene Methoden zur Berechnung der Dispersionsrelation dieser Oberflächenmoden an ein- und mehrschichtigen Grenzflächen werden auf die untersuchte Metaoberflächenprobe angewendet. Das Modell sagt drei verschiedene Moden voraus, die sich an der Grenzfläche ausbreiten. Eine teil-gebundene ins Substrat abstrahlende Oberflächenmode sowie zwei vergrabene stark gebundene anisotrope Moden. Eine auf der Probe platzierte Nanokugel aus Silizium wird als radiale Anregungsquelle verwendet.
Der Vergleich mit s-SNOM-Nahfeldbildern zeigt, dass nur die schwach gebundene geführte Modenresonanz ausreichend angeregt wurde, um durch s-SNOM-Bildgebung nachgewiesen werden zu können. Die schwache Oberflächenbindung erklärt die scheinbar isotrope Ausbreitung auf der anisotropen Oberfläche. Die Beobachtung der verbleibenden stark eingegrenzten anisotropen vergrabenen Moden würde eine verbesserte tiefenempfindliche Auflösung des Systems erfordern, die im Prinzip für Schichtdicken von 20 nm möglich sein sollte. Darüber hinaus wirft die Beobachtung die Frage auf, ob die durch Impuls- und Modenvolumenanpassung der Nanokugel gegebene Anregungseffizienz einen ausreichenden Anregungsquerschnitt erzeugt, um nachweisbare vergrabene SPP-Moden zu erzeugen.
In Kapitel 4 wird die Idee der Visualisierung vergrabener elektrischer Felder mit s-SNOM fortgesetzt. Hier wird es auf die Untersuchung von WS_2 angewendet, einem zweidimensionalen TMDC-Material, welches Photolumineszenz zeigt. Durch die Strukturierung des Galliumphosphid-Substrats unter der hängenden Monolage, die von einer dünnen Schicht aus hBN getragen wird, wird die Photolumineszenzausbeute um den Faktor 10 erhöht. Dies wird durch den Entwurf einer lateralen DBR-Mikrokavität mit zusätzlich optimierter vertikaler Tiefe erreicht, die in das Substrat geätzt wurde.
Die hochauflösende Abbildung der elektrischen Feldverteilung im Resonator wird durch den Einsatz von s-SNOM ermöglicht, um die Verbesserung der Einkopplung durch diese beiden Ansätze zu bewerten. Es konnte festgestellt werden, dass die laterale Struktur überwiegend zur verstärkten Photolumineszenzausbeute beiträgt, während für die Einkopplung keine offensichtliche Verstärkung auf die vertikale Strukturoptimierung zurückgeführt werden konnte.
Das zweidimensionale Material WS_2 wird in Kapitel 5 erneut mit Hilfe von c-AFM untersucht. Unterschiedlich dicke Multilagen auf Graphen und Gold dienen als Tunnelbarrieren für vertikale Ströme zwischen Substrat und leitender c-AFM-Messpitze. Die Daten können mit einem Fowler-Nordheim-Modell mit Parametern für die Tunnelbreite und Schottky-Barrierenhöhen der beiden Grenzflächen erklärt werden. Die Messungen zeigen jedoch eine schwache Reproduzierbarkeit, was eine detailliertere Zusammenfassung der relevanten Fehlerquellen erfordert. In der Schlussfolgerung des Kapitels werden mehrere Schlüsselaspekte vorgeschlagen, die bei künftigen Messungen berücksichtigt werden sollten. Entscheidend ist, dass c-AFM sehr empfindlich auf die Adsorption von Wasserfilmen an der Probenoberfläche reagiert, worunter WS_2-Oberflächen unter Umgebungsbedingungen leiden...
NeuLAND (New Large-Area Neutron Detector) is the next-generation neutron detector for the R3B (Reactions with Relativistic Radioactive Beams) experiment at FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research). NeuLAND detects neutrons with energies from 100 to 1000 MeV, featuring a high detection efficiency, a high spatial and time resolution, and a large multi-neutron reconstruction efficiency. This is achieved by a highly granular design of organic scintillators: 3000 individual submodules with a size of 5 × 5 × 250 cm3 are arranged in 30 double planes with 100 submodules each, providing an active area of 250 × 250 cm2 and a total depth of 3 m. The spatial resolution due to the granularity together with a time resolution of 150 ps ensures high-resolution capabilities. In conjunction with calorimetric properties, a multi-neutron reconstruction efficiency of 50% to 70% for four-neutron events will be achieved, depending on both the emission scenario and the boundary conditions allowed for the reconstruction method. We present in this paper the final design of the detector as well as results from test measurements and simulations on which this design is based.
The vector U bosons, or so-called “dark photons,” are one of the possible candidates for the dark matter mediators. They are supposed to interact with the standard matter via a “vector portal” due to the Uð1Þ − Uð1Þ0 symmetry group mixing which might make them visible in particle and heavy-ion experiments. While there is no confirmed observation of dark photons, the detailed analysis of different experimental data allows to estimate the upper limit for the kinetic mixing parameter ϵ2 depending on the mass MU of U bosons which is also unknown. In this study we present theoretical constraints on the upper limit of ϵ2ðMUÞ in the mass range MU ≤ 0.6 GeV from the comparison of the calculated dilepton spectra with the experimental data from the HADES collaboration at SIS18 energies where the dark photons are not observed. Our analysis is based on the microscopic Parton-Hadron-String Dynamics (PHSD) transport
approach which reproduces well the measured dilepton spectra in p þ p, p þ A and A þ A collisions. Additionally to the different dilepton channels originating from interactions and decays of ordinary matter particles (mesons and baryons), we incorporate the decay of hypothetical U bosons to dileptons, U → eþe−, where the U bosons themselves are produced by the Dalitz decay of pions π0 → γU, η mesons η → γU and Delta resonances Δ → NU. Our analysis can help to estimate the requested accuracy for future experimental searches of “light” dark photons by dilepton experiments.
Hypermassive hybrid stars (HMHS) are extreme astrophysical objects that could be produced in the merger of a binary system of compact stars. In contrast to their purely hadronic counterparts, hypermassive neutron stars (HMNS), these highly differentially rotating objects contain deconfined strange quark matter in their slowly rotating inner region. HMHS and HMNS are both mestastable configurations and can survive only shortly after the merger before collapsing to rotating black holes. The appearance of the phase transition from hadronic to quark matter in the interior region of the HMHS and its conjunction with the emitted GW will be addressed in this article by focussing on a specific case study of the delayed phase-transition scenario that takes place during the post-merger evolution of the remnant. The complicated dynamics of the collapse from the HMNS to the more compact HMHS will be analysed in detail. In particular, we will show that the interplay between the spatial density/temperature distributions and the rotational profiles in the interior of the wobbling HMHS after the collapse generates a high-temperature shell within the hadron-quark mixed phase region of the remnant.
Quasi-universal behavior of the threshold mass in unequal-mass, spinning binary neutron star mergers
(2021)
The lifetime of the remnant produced by the merger of two neutron stars can provide a wealth of information on the equation of state of nuclear matter and on the processes leading to the electromagnetic counterpart. Hence, it is essential to determine when this lifetime is the shortest, corresponding to when the remnant has a mass equal to the threshold mass, Mth, to prompt collapse to a black hole. We report on the results of more than 360 simulations of merging neutron-star binaries covering 40 different configurations differing in mass ratio and spin of the primary. Using this data, we have derived a quasi-universal relation for Mth and expressed its dependence on the mass ratio and spin of the binary. The new expression recovers the results of Koeppel et al. for equal-mass, irrotational binaries and reveals that Mth can increase (decrease) by 5% (10%) for binaries that have spins aligned (antialigned) with the orbital angular momentum and provides evidence for a nonmonotonic dependence of Mth on the mass asymmetry in the system. Finally, we extend to unequal masses and spinning binaries the lower limits that can be set on the stellar radii once a neutron star binary is detected, illustrating how the merger of an unequal-mass, rapidly spinning binary can significantly constrain the allowed values of the stellar radii.
Neutron-induced cross sections of short-lived nuclei are highly relevant in many domains such as fundamental nuclear physics, astrophysics and applications in nuclear technology. In particular, these cross sections are essential for understanding the synthesis of elements via the s- and r stellar processes. However, the measurement of such cross sections with current techniques is very difficult or even impossible, because of the difficulties to produce and handle the necessary amounts of radioactive nuclei. Reaching the nuclei of interest is only possible by inverting the reaction kinematics with radioactive beams.
In this contribution we present a project for indirectly determining neutron cross sections via the surrogate-reaction method. This project is based on the measurement of transfer- or inelastic-scattering-induced decay probabilities in inverse kinematics at storage rings. The measured probabilities are then used to tune nuclear-reaction models that will provide much more accurate predictions of the desired neutron cross sections. We also discuss a very ambitious, long-term project to directly measure neutron cross sections in inverse kinematics. It consists in the combination of a radioactive beam facility, an ion storage ring and a spallation neutron source.
The SU(3) pure gauge theory exhibits a first-order thermal deconfinement transition due to spontaneous breaking of its global Z3 center symmetry. When heavy dynamical quarks are added, this symmetry is broken explicitly and the transition weakens with decreasing quark mass until it disappears at a critical point. We compute the critical hopping parameter and the associated pion mass for lattice QCD with Nf=2 degenerate standard Wilson fermions on Nτ∈{6,8,10} lattices, corresponding to lattice spacings a=0.12 fm, a=0.09 fm, a=0.07 fm, respectively. Significant cutoff effects are observed, with the first-order region growing as the lattice gets finer. While current lattices are still too coarse for a continuum extrapolation, we estimate mcπ≈4 GeV with a remaining systematic error of ∼20%. Our results allow us to assess the accuracy of the leading-order and next-to-leading-order hopping expanded fermion determinant used in the literature for various purposes. We also provide a detailed investigation of the statistics required for this type of calculation, which is useful for similar investigations of the chiral transition.
The physical processes behind the production of light nuclei in heavy ion collisions are unclear. The successful theoretical description of experimental yields by thermal models conflicts with the very small binding energies of the observed states, being fragile in such a hot and dense environment. Other available ideas are delayed production via coalescence, or a cooling of the system after the chemical freeze-out according to a Saha equation, or a ‘quench’ instead of a thermal freeze-out. A recently derived prescription of an (interacting) Hagedorn gas is applied to consolidate the above pictures. The tabulation of decay rates of Hagedorn states into light nuclei allows to calculate yields usually inaccessible due to very poor Monte Carlo statistics. Decay yields of stable hadrons and light nuclei are calculated. While the scale-free decays of Hagedorn states alone are not compatible with the experimental data, a thermalized hadron and Hagedorn state gas is able to describe the experimental data. Applying a cooling of the system according to a Saha-equation with conservation of nucleon and anti-nucleon numbers leads to (nearly) temperature independent yields, thus a production of the light nuclei at temperatures much lower than the chemical freeze-out temperature is compatible with experimental data and with the statistical hadronization model.
The relativistic treatment of spin is a fundamental subject which has an old history. In various physical contexts it is necessary to separate the relativistic total angular momentum into an orbital and spin contribution. However, such decomposition is affected by ambiguities since one can always redefine the orbital and spin part through the so-called pseudo-gauge transformations. We analyze this problem in detail by discussing the most common choices of energy-momentum and spin tensors with an emphasis on their physical implications, and study the spin vector which is a pseudo-gauge invariant operator. We review the angular momentum decomposition as a crucial ingredient for the formulation of relativistic spin hydrodynamics and quantum kinetic theory with a focus on relativistic nuclear collisions, where spin physics has recently attracted significant attention. Furthermore, we point out the connection between pseudo-gauge transformations and the different definitions of the relativistic center of inertia. Finally, we consider the Einstein–Cartan theory, an extension of conventional general relativity, which allows for a natural definition of the spin tensor.
We report a measurement of the observed cross sections of e+ e− → J/ψX based on 3.21 fb − 1 of data accumulated at energies from 3.645 to 3.891 GeV with the BESIII detector operated at the BEPCII collider. In analysis of the cross sections, we measured the decay branching fractions of B(ψ(3686) → J/ψX) = (64.4 ± 0.6 ± 1.6)% and B(ψ(3770) → J/ψX) = (0.5 ± 0.2 ± 0.1)% for the first time. The energy-dependent line shape of these cross sections cannot be well described by two Breit-Wigner (BW) amplitudes of the expected decays ψ (3686) → J/ψX and ψ(3770) → J/ψX. Instead, it can be better described with one more BW amplitude of the decay R(3760)→ J/ψX. Under this assumption, we extracted the R (3760) mass M R (3760 ) = 3766.2 ± 3.8 ± 0.4 MeV/c2, total width Γ tot R ( 3760 ) = 22.2 ± 5.9 ± 1.4 MeV, and product of leptonic width and decay branching fraction
ΓeeR(3760) B[R(3760) → J/ψX] = (79.4 ± 85.5 ± 11.7) eV. The significance of the R(3760) is 5.3σ. The first uncertainties of these measured quantities are from fits to the cross sections and second systematic.
By analyzing 6.32 fb − 1 of e+ e− annihilation data collected at the center-of-mass energies between 4.178 and 4.226 GeV with the BESIII detector, we determine the branching fraction of the leptonic decay D + s → τ + ντ, with τ+ → π + π0¯ντ, to be B D + s → τ + ν τ = (5.29 ± 0.25 stat ± 0.20 syst) %. We estimate the product of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |Vcs|and the D + s decay constant f D + s to be f D + s|Vcs| = (244.8 ± 5.8 stat ± 4.8syst) MeV, using the known values of the τ + and D + s masses as well as the D + s lifetime, together with our branching fraction measurement. Combining the value of |Vcs| obtained from a global fit in the standard model and f D + s from lattice quantum chromodynamics, we obtain f D + s = (251.6 ± 5.9 stat ± 4.9syst) MeV and |Vcs| = 0.980 ± 0.023 stat ± 0.019 syst. Using the branching fraction of B D + s → μ + νμ = (5.35±0.21)×10−3, we obtain the ratio of the branching fractions B D + s → τ + ντ/B D +s → μ+νμ = 9.89±0.71, which is consistent with the standard model prediction of lepton flavor universality.
The physics goal of the strong interaction program of the NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) is to study the phase diagram of hadronic matter by a scan of particle production in collisions of nuclei with various sizes at a set of energies covering the SPS energy range. This paper presents differential inclusive spectra of transverse momentum, transverse mass and rapidity of π− mesons produced in central 40Ar+45Sc collisions at beam momenta of 13A, 19A, 30A, 40A, 75A and 150A Ge V /c. Energy and system size dependence of parameters of these distributions – mean transverse mass, the inverse slope parameter of transverse mass spectra, width of the rapidity distribution and mean multiplicity – are presented and discussed. Furthermore, the dependence of the ratio of the mean number of produced pions to the mean number of wounded nucleons on the collision energy was derived. The results are compared to predictions of several models.
The inclusive production of the J/ψ and ψ(2S) charmonium states is studied as a function of centrality in p-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sNN−−−√ = 8.16 TeV at the LHC. The measurement is performed in the dimuon decay channel with the ALICE apparatus in the centre-of-mass rapidity intervals −4.46 < ycms < −2.96 (Pb-going direction) and 2.03 < ycms < 3.53 (p-going direction), down to zero transverse momentum (pT). The J/ψ and ψ(2S) production cross sections are evaluated as a function of the collision centrality, estimated through the energy deposited in the zero degree calorimeter located in the Pb-going direction. The pT-differential J/ψ production cross section is measured at backward and forward rapidity for several centrality classes, together with the corresponding average 〈pT〉 and ⟨p2T⟩ values. The nuclear effects affecting the production of both charmonium states are studied using the nuclear modification factor. In the p-going direction, a suppression of the production of both charmonium states is observed, which seems to increase from peripheral to central collisions. In the Pb-going direction, however, the centrality dependence is different for the two states: the nuclear modification factor of the J/ψ increases from below unity in peripheral collisions to above unity in central collisions, while for the ψ(2S) it stays below or consistent with unity for all centralities with no significant centrality dependence. The results are compared with measurements in p-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV and no significant dependence on the energy of the collision is observed. Finally, the results are compared with theoretical models implementing various nuclear matter effects.
The pT-differential production cross sections of prompt and non-prompt (produced in beauty-hadron decays) D mesons were measured by the ALICE experiment at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) in proton-proton collisions at s√ = 5.02 TeV. The data sample used in the analysis corresponds to an integrated luminosity of (19.3 ± 0.4) nb−1. D mesons were reconstructed from their decays D0 → K−π+, D+ → K−π+π+, and D+s→φπ+→K−K+π+ and their charge conjugates. Compared to previous measurements in the same rapidity region, the cross sections of prompt D+ and D+s mesons have an extended pT coverage and total uncertainties reduced by a factor ranging from 1.05 to 1.6, depending on pT, allowing for a more precise determination of their pT-integrated cross sections. The results are well described by perturbative QCD calculations. The fragmentation fraction of heavy quarks to strange mesons divided by the one to non-strange mesons, fs/(fu + fd), is compatible for charm and beauty quarks and with previous measurements at different centre-of-mass energies and collision systems. The bb¯¯¯ production cross section per rapidity unit at midrapidity, estimated from non-prompt D-meson measurements, is dσbb¯¯¯/dy∣∣|y|<0.5=34.5±2.4(stat)+4.7−2.9(tot.syst) μb. It is compatible with previous measurements at the same centre-of-mass energy and with the cross section pre- dicted by perturbative QCD calculations.
The nature of the QCD chiral phase transition in the limit of vanishing quark masses has remained elusive for a long time, since it cannot be simulated directly on the lattice and is strongly cutoff-dependent. We report on a comprehensive ongoing study using unimproved staggered fermions with Nf ∈ [2, 8] mass-degenerate flavours on Nτ ∈ {4, 6, 8} lattices, in which we locate the chiral critical surface separating regions with first-order transitions from crossover regions in the bare parameter space of the lattice theory. Employing the fact that it terminates in a tricritical line, this surface can be extrapolated to the chiral limit using tricritical scaling with known exponents. Knowing the order of the transitions in the lattice parameter space, conclusions for approaching the continuum chiral limit in the proper order can be drawn. While a narrow first-order region cannot be ruled out, we find initial evidence consistent with a second-order chiral transition in all massless theories with Nf ≤ 6, and possibly up to the onset of the conformal window at 9 ≲ N∗f ≲ 12. A reanalysis of already published O(a)-improved Nf = 3 Wilson data on Nτ ∈ [4, 12] is also consistent with tricritical scaling, and the associated change from first to second-order on the way to the continuum chiral limit. We discuss a modified Columbia plot and a phase diagram for many-flavour QCD that reflect these possible features.
Two-particle angular correlations are measured in high-multiplicity proton-proton collisions at s√ = 13 TeV by the ALICE Collaboration. The yields of particle pairs at short-(∆η ∼ 0) and long-range (1.6 < |∆η| < 1.8) in pseudorapidity are extracted on the near-side (∆φ ∼ 0). They are reported as a function of transverse momentum (pT) in the range 1 < pT < 4 GeV/c. Furthermore, the event-scale dependence is studied for the first time by requiring the presence of high-pT leading particles or jets for varying pT thresholds. The results demonstrate that the long-range “ridge” yield, possibly related to the collective behavior of the system, is present in events with high-pT processes as well. The magnitudes of the short- and long-range yields are found to grow with the event scale. The results are compared to EPOS LHC and PYTHIA 8 calculations, with and without string-shoving interactions. It is found that while both models describe the qualitative trends in the data, calculations from EPOS LHC show a better quantitative agreement for the pT dependency, while overestimating the event-scale dependency.
Jet fragmentation transverse momentum distributions in pp and p-Pb collisions at √s, √sNN = 5.02 TeV
(2021)
Jet fragmentation transverse momentum (jT) distributions are measured in proton-proton (pp) and proton-lead (p-Pb) collisions at sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. Jets are reconstructed with the ALICE tracking detectors and electromagnetic calorimeter using the anti-kT algorithm with resolution parameter R = 0.4 in the pseudorapidity range |η| < 0.25. The jT values are calculated for charged particles inside a fixed cone with a radius R = 0.4 around the reconstructed jet axis. The measured jT distributions are compared with a variety of parton-shower models. Herwig and PYTHIA 8 based models describe the data well for the higher jT region, while they underestimate the lower jT region. The jT distributions are further characterised by fitting them with a function composed of an inverse gamma function for higher jT values (called the “wide component”), related to the perturbative component of the fragmentation process, and with a Gaussian for lower jT values (called the “narrow component”), predominantly connected to the hadronisation process. The width of the Gaussian has only a weak dependence on jet transverse momentum, while that of the inverse gamma function increases with increasing jet transverse momentum. For the narrow component, the measured trends are successfully described by all models except for Herwig. For the wide component, Herwig and PYTHIA 8 based models slightly underestimate the data for the higher jet transverse momentum region. These measurements set constraints on models of jet fragmentation and hadronisation.
The ALICE Collaboration reports the first fully-corrected measurements of the N-subjettiness observable for track-based jets in heavy-ion collisions. This study is performed using data recorded in pp and Pb-Pb collisions at centre-of-mass energies of s√ = 7 TeV and sNN−−−√ = 2.76 TeV, respectively. In particular the ratio of 2-subjettiness to 1-subjettiness, τ2/τ1, which is sensitive to the rate of two-pronged jet substructure, is presented. Energy loss of jets traversing the strongly interacting medium in heavy-ion collisions is expected to change the rate of two-pronged substructure relative to vacuum. The results are presented for jets with a resolution parameter of R = 0.4 and charged jet transverse momentum of 40 ≤ pT,jet ≤ 60 GeV/c, which constitute a larger jet resolution and lower jet transverse momentum interval than previous measurements in heavy-ion collisions. This has been achieved by utilising a semi-inclusive hadron-jet coincidence technique to suppress the larger jet combinatorial background in this kinematic region. No significant modification of the τ2/τ1 observable for track-based jets in Pb-Pb collisions is observed relative to vacuum PYTHIA6 and PYTHIA8 references at the same collision energy. The measurements of τ2/τ1, together with the splitting aperture angle ∆R, are also performed in pp collisions at s√ = 7 TeV for inclusive jets. These results are compared with PYTHIA calculations at s√ = 7 TeV, in order to validate the model as a vacuum reference for the Pb-Pb centre-of-mass energy. The PYTHIA references for τ2/τ1 are shifted to larger values compared to the measurement in pp collisions. This hints at a reduction in the rate of two-pronged jets in Pb-Pb collisions compared to pp collisions.
The transverse momentum (pT) differential cross section of the charm-strange baryon Ξ0c is measured at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) via its semileptonic decay into e+Ξ−νe in pp collisions at s√ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The ratio of the pT-differential Ξ0c-baryon and D0-meson production cross sections is also reported. The measurements are compared with simulations with different tunes of the PYTHIA 8 event generator, with predictions from a statistical hadronisation model (SHM) with a largely augmented set of charm-baryon states beyond the current lists of the Particle Data Group, and with models including hadronisation via quark coalescence. The pT-integrated cross section of prompt Ξ0c-baryon production at midrapidity is also reported, which is used to calculate the baryon-to-meson ratio Ξ0c/D0 = 0.20 ± 0.04 (stat.)+0.08−0.07 (syst.). These results provide an additional indication of a modification of the charm fragmentation from e+e− and e−p collisions to pp collisions.
Measurements of elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) flow coefficients of π±, K±, p+p¯¯¯, K0S, and Λ+Λ¯¯¯¯ obtained with the scalar product method in Xe-Xe collisions at sNN−−−√ = 5.44 TeV are presented. The results are obtained in the rapidity range |y| < 0.5 and reported as a function of transverse momentum, pT, for several collision centrality classes. The flow coefficients exhibit a particle mass dependence for pT < 3 GeV/c, while a grouping according to particle type (i.e., meson and baryon) is found at intermediate transverse momenta (3 < pT < 8 GeV/c). The magnitude of the baryon v2 is larger than that of mesons up to pT = 6 GeV/c. The centrality dependence of the shape evolution of the pT-differential v2 is studied for the various hadron species. The v2 coefficients of π±, K±, and p+p¯¯¯ are reproduced by MUSIC hydrodynamic calculations coupled to a hadronic cascade model (UrQMD) for pT < 1 GeV/c. A comparison with vn measurements in the corresponding centrality intervals in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV yields an enhanced v2 in central collisions and diminished value in semicentral collisions.
The electromagnetic process is studied with the initial-state-radiation technique using 7.5 fb−1 of data collected by the BESIII experiment at seven energy points from 3.773 to 4.600 GeV. The Born cross section and the effective form factor of the proton are measured from the production threshold to 3.0 GeV/ using the invariant-mass spectrum. The ratio of electric and magnetic form factors of the proton is determined from the analysis of the proton-helicity angular distribution.
We report on the inclusive J/ψ production cross section measured at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in proton–proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy s√ = 13 TeV. The J/ψ mesons are reconstructed in the e+e− decay channel and the measurements are performed at midrapidity (|y|<0.9) in the transverse-momentum interval 0<pT<40 GeV/c, using a minimum-bias data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity Lint=32.2 nb−1 and an Electromagnetic Calorimeter triggered data sample with Lint=8.3 pb−1. The pT-integrated J/ψ production cross section at midrapidity, computed using the minimum-bias data sample, is dσ/dy|y=0=8.97±0.24 (stat)±0.48 (syst)±0.15 (lumi) μb. An approximate logarithmic dependence with the collision energy is suggested by these results and available world data, in agreement with model predictions. The integrated and pT-differential measurements are compared with measurements in pp collisions at lower energies and with several recent phenomenological calculations based on the non-relativistic QCD and Color Evaporation models.
Measurements of event-by-event fluctuations of charged-particle multiplicities in Pb–Pb collisions at sNN−−−√ = 2.76 TeV using the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are presented in the pseudorapidity range |η|<0.8 and transverse momentum 0.2<pT<2.0 GeV/c. The amplitude of the fluctuations is expressed in terms of the variance normalized by the mean of the multiplicity distribution. The η and pT dependences of the fluctuations and their evolution with respect to collision centrality are investigated. The multiplicity fluctuations tend to decrease from peripheral to central collisions. The results are compared to those obtained from HIJING and AMPT Monte Carlo event generators as well as to experimental data at lower collision energies. Additionally, the measured multiplicity fluctuations are discussed in the context of the isothermal compressibility of the high-density strongly-interacting system formed in central Pb–Pb collisions.
Two-particle Azimuthal correlations are measured with the ALICE apparatus in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV to explore strangeness- and multiplicity-related effects in the fragmentation of jets and the transition regime between bulk and hard production, probed with the condition that a strange meson (KS0) or baryon (Λ) with transverse momentum pT>3 GeV/c is produced. Azimuthal correlations between kaons or Λ hyperons with other hadrons are presented at midrapidity for a broad range of the trigger (3<ptriggT<20 GeV/c) and associated particle pT (1 GeV/c <passocT<ptriggT), for minimum-bias events and as a function of the event multiplicity. The near- and away-side peak yields are compared for the case of either KS0 or Λ(Λ¯¯¯¯) being the trigger particle with that of inclusive hadrons (a sample dominated by pions). In addition, the measurements are compared with predictions from PYTHIA 8 and EPOS LHC event generators.
The production of π±, K±, K0S, K∗(892)0, p, ϕ(1020), Λ, Ξ−, Ω−, and their antiparticles was measured in inelastic proton–proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of s√ = 13 TeV at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) as a function of transverse momentum (pT) using the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC. Furthermore, the single-particle pT distributions of K0S, Λ, and Λ¯¯¯¯ in inelastic pp collisions at s√=7 TeV are reported here for the first time. The pT distributions are studied at midrapidity within the transverse momentum range 0≤pT≤20 GeV/c, depending on the particle species. The pT spectra, integrated yields, and particle yield ratios are discussed as a function of collision energy and compared with measurements at lower s√ and with results from various general-purpose QCD-inspired Monte Carlo models. A hardening of the spectra at high pT with increasing collision energy is observed, which is similar for all particle species under study. The transverse mass and xT≡2pT/s√ scaling properties of hadron production are also studied. As the collision energy increases from s√ = 7–13 TeV, the yields of non- and single-strange hadrons normalized to the pion yields remain approximately constant as a function of s√, while ratios for multi-strange hadrons indicate enhancements. The pT-differential cross sections of π±, K± and p (p¯¯¯) are compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations, which are found to overestimate the cross sections for π± and p (p¯¯¯) at high pT.
The coherent photoproduction of J/ψ and ψ′ mesons was measured in ultra-peripheral Pb–Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector. Charmonia are detected in the central rapidity region for events where the hadronic interactions are strongly suppressed. The J/ψ is reconstructed using the dilepton (l+l−) and proton–antiproton decay channels, while for the ψ′ the dilepton and the l+l−π+π− decay channels are studied. The analysis is based on an event sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 233 μb−1. The results are compared with theoretical models for coherent J/ψ and ψ′ photoproduction. The coherent cross section is found to be in a good agreement with models incorporating moderate nuclear gluon shadowing of about 0.64 at a Bjorken-x of around 6×10−4, such as the EPS09 parametrization, however none of the models is able to fully describe the rapidity dependence of the coherent J/ψ cross section including ALICE measurements at forward rapidity. The ratio of ψ′ to J/ψ coherent photoproduction cross sections was also measured and found to be consistent with the one for photoproduction off protons.
The production of ϕ mesons has been studied in pp collisions at LHC energies with the ALICE detector via the dimuon decay channel in the rapidity region 2.5<y<4. Measurements of the differential cross section d2σ/dydpT are presented as a function of the transverse momentum (pT) at the center-of-mass energies s√=5.02, 8 and 13 TeV and compared with the ALICE results at midrapidity. The differential cross sections at s√=5.02 and 13 TeV are also studied in several rapidity intervals as a function of pT, and as a function of rapidity in three pT intervals. A hardening of the pT-differential cross section with the collision energy is observed, while, for a given energy, pT spectra soften with increasing rapidity and, conversely, rapidity distributions get slightly narrower at increasing pT. The new results, complementing the published measurements at s√=2.76 and 7 TeV, allow one to establish the energy dependence of ϕ meson production and to compare the measured cross sections with phenomenological models. None of the considered models manages to describe the evolution of the cross section with pT and rapidity at all the energies.
Constraints on the Covariant Canonical Gauge Gravity (CCGG) theory from low-redshift cosmology are studied. The formulation extends Einstein’s theory of General Relativity (GR) by a quadratic Riemann–Cartan term in the Lagrangian, controlled by a “deformation” parameter. In the Friedman universe this leads to an additional geometrical stress energy and promotes, due to the necessary presence of torsion, the cosmological constant to a time-dependent function. The MCMC analysis of the combined data sets of Type Ia Supernovae, Cosmic Chronometers and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations yields a fit that is well comparable with the ΛCDM results. The modifications implied in the CCGG approach turn out to be subdominant in the low-redshift cosmology. However, a non-zero spatial curvature and deformation parameter are shown to be consistent with observations.
The first measurements of the production of muons and electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in Xe–Xe collisions at √sNN = 5.44 TeV, using the ALICE detector at the LHC, are reported. The measurement of the nuclear modification factor RAA is performed as a function of transverse momentum pT in several centrality classes at forward rapidity (2.5 < y < 4) and midrapidity (|y| < 0.8) for muons and electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays, respectively. A suppression by a factor up to about 2.5 compared to the binary-scaled pp reference is observed in central collisions at both central and forward rapidities. The RAA of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays is compared to previous measurements in Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV. When the nuclear modification factors are compared in the centrality classes 0–10% for Xe–Xe collisions and 10–20% for Pb–Pb collisions, which have similar charged-particle multiplicity density, a similar suppression, with RAA ∼ 0.4 in the pT interval 4 < pT < 8 GeV/c, is observed. The comparison of the measured RAA values in the two collision systems brings new insights on the properties of the quark-gluon plasma by investigating the system-size and geometry dependence of medium-induced parton energy loss. The results of muons and electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays provide new constraints to model calculations.
Measurements of the production of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 and 2.76 TeV using the ALICE detector at the LHC are reported. The nuclear modification factor RAA at √sNN = 5.02 TeV is measured at forward rapidity (2.5 < y < 4) as a function of transverse momentum pT in central, semi-central, and peripheral collisions over a wide pT interval, 3 < pT < 20 GeV/c, in which muons from beauty-hadron decays are expected to take over from charm as the dominant source at high pT (pT > 7 GeV/c). The RAA shows an increase of the suppression of the yields of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays with increasing centrality. A suppression by a factor of about three is observed in the 10% most central collisions. The RAA at √sNN = 5.02 TeV is similar to that at √sNN = 2.76 TeV. The precise RAA measurements have the potential to distinguish between model predictions implementing different mechanisms of parton energy loss in the high-density medium formed in heavy-ion collisions. They place important constraints for the understanding of the heavy-quark interaction with the hot and dense QCD medium.
The HADES experiment at GSI has recently provided data on the flow coefficients v1,..., v4 for protons in Au+Au reactions at Elab = 1.23 AGeV (or √sNN = 2.4 GeV). This data allows to estimate the shear viscosity over entropy density ratio, η/s at low energies via a coarse graining analysis of the UrQMD transport simulations of the flow harmonics in comparison to the experimental data. By this we can provide for the first time an estimate of η/s ≈ 0.65 ± 0.15 (or (8 ± 2)(4π)−1) at such low energies.