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The ALICE Zero Degree Calorimeter system (ZDC) is composed of two identical sets of calorimeters, placed at opposite sides with respect to the interaction point, 114 meters away from it, complemented by two small forward electromagnetic calorimeters (ZEM). Each set of detectors consists of a neutron (ZN) and a proton (ZP) ZDC. They are placed at zero degrees with respect to the LHC axis and allow to detect particles emitted close to beam direction, in particular neutrons and protons emerging from hadronic heavy-ion collisions (spectator nucleons) and those emitted from electromagnetic processes. For neutrons emitted by these two processes, the ZN calorimeters have nearly 100% acceptance.
During the √sNN = 2.76 TeV Pb-Pb data-taking, the ALICE Collaboration studied forward neutron emission with a dedicated trigger, requiring a minimum energy deposition in at least one of the two ZN. By exploiting also the information of the two ZEM calorimeters it has been possible to separate the contributions of electromagnetic and hadronic processes and to study single neutron vs. multiple neutron emission.
The measured cross sections of single and mutual electromagnetic dissociation of Pb nuclei at √sNN = 2.76 TeV, with neutron emission, are σsingle EMD = 187:4 ± 0.2 (stat.)−11.2+13.2 (syst.) b and σmutual EMD = 5.7 ± 0.1 (stat.) ±0.4 (syst.) b, respectively [1]. This is the first measurement of electromagnetic dissociation of 208Pb nuclei at the LHC energies, allowing a test of electromagnetic dissociation theory in a new energy regime. The experimental results are compared to the predictions from a relativistic electromagnetic dissociation model.
The pT-differential inclusive production cross section of the prompt charm-strange meson Ds+ in the rapidity range |y|<0.5 was measured in proton–proton collisions at s=7 TeV at the LHC using the ALICE detector. The analysis was performed on a data sample of 2.98×108 events collected with a minimum-bias trigger. The corresponding integrated luminosity is Lint=4.8 nb−1. Reconstructing the decay Ds+→ϕπ+, with ϕ→K−K+, and its charge conjugate, about 480 Ds± mesons were counted, after selection cuts, in the transverse momentum range 2<pT<12 GeV/c. The results are compared with predictions from models based on perturbative QCD. The ratios of the cross sections of four D meson species (namely D0, D+, D⁎+ and Ds+) were determined both as a function of pT and integrated over pT after extrapolating to full pT range, together with the strangeness suppression factor in charm fragmentation. The obtained values are found to be compatible within uncertainties with those measured by other experiments in e+e−, ep and pp interactions at various centre-of-mass energies.
he first measurements of the invariant differential cross sections of inclusive π0 and η meson production at mid-rapidity in proton–proton collisions at s=0.9 TeV and s=7 TeV are reported. The π0 measurement covers the ranges 0.4<pT<7 GeV/c and 0.3<pT<25 GeV/c for these two energies, respectively. The production of η mesons was measured at s=√7 TeV in the range 0.4<pT<15 GeV/c. Next-to-Leading Order perturbative QCD calculations, which are consistent with the π0 spectrum at s=0.9 TeV, overestimate those of π0 and η mesons at s=√7 TeV, but agree with the measured η/π0 ratio at s=√7 TeV.
The ALICE experiment has measured low-mass dimuon production in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV in the dimuon rapidity region 2.5<y<4. The observed dimuon mass spectrum is described as a superposition of resonance decays (η,ρ,ω,η′,ϕ) into muons and semi-leptonic decays of charmed mesons. The measured production cross sections for ω and ϕ are σω(1<pt<5 GeV/c,2.5<y<4)=5.28±0.54(stat)±0.49(syst) mb and σϕ(1<pt<5 GeV/c,2.5<y<4)=0.940±0.084(stat)±0.076(syst) mb. The differential cross sections d2σ/dydpt are extracted as a function of pt for ω and ϕ. The ratio between the ρ and ω cross section is obtained. Results for the ϕ are compared with other measurements at the same energy and with predictions by models.
The ALICE Collaboration reports the measurement of the relative J/ψ yield as a function of charged particle pseudorapidity density dNch/dη in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV at the LHC. J/ψ particles are detected for pt>0, in the rapidity interval |y|<0.9 via decay into e+e−, and in the interval 2.5<y<4.0 via decay into μ+μ− pairs. An approximately linear increase of the J/ψ yields normalized to their event average (dNJ/ψ/dy)/〈dNJ/ψ/dy〉 with (dNch/dη)/〈dNch/dη〉 is observed in both rapidity ranges, where dNch/dη is measured within |η|<1 and pt>0. In the highest multiplicity interval with 〈dNch/dη(bin)〉=24.1, corresponding to four times the minimum bias multiplicity density, an enhancement relative to the minimum bias J/ψ yield by a factor of about 5 at 2.5<y<4 (8 at |y|<0.9) is observed.
Angular correlations between unidentified charged trigger (t) and associated (a) particles are measured by the ALICE experiment in Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV for transverse momenta 0.25<pTt,a<15 GeV/c, where pTt>pTa. The shapes of the pair correlation distributions are studied in a variety of collision centrality classes between 0 and 50% of the total hadronic cross section for particles in the pseudorapidity interval |η|<1.0. Distributions in relative azimuth Δϕ≡ϕt−ϕa are analyzed for |Δη|≡|ηt−ηa|>0.8, and are referred to as “long-range correlations”. Fourier components VnΔ≡〈cos(nΔϕ)〉 are extracted from the long-range azimuthal correlation functions. If particle pairs are correlated to one another through their individual correlation to a common symmetry plane, then the pair anisotropy VnΔ(pTt,pTa) is fully described in terms of single-particle anisotropies vn(pT) as VnΔ(pTt,pTa)=vn(pTt)vn(pTa). This expectation is tested for 1⩽n⩽5 by applying a global fit of all VnΔ(pTt,pTa) to obtain the best values vn{GF}(pT). It is found that for 2⩽n⩽5, the fit agrees well with data up to pTa∼3–4 GeV/c, with a trend of increasing deviation as pTt and pTa are increased or as collisions become more peripheral. This suggests that no pair correlation harmonic can be described over the full 0.25<pT<15 GeV/c range using a single vn(pT) curve; such a description is however approximately possible for 2⩽n⩽5 when pTa<4 GeV/c. For the n=1 harmonic, however, a single v1(pT) curve is not obtained even within the reduced range pTa<4 GeV/c.
The production of muons from heavy flavour decays is measured at forward rapidity in proton–proton collisions at √s=7 TeV collected with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The analysis is carried out on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity Lint=16.5 nb−1. The transverse momentum and rapidity differential production cross sections of muons from heavy flavour decays are measured in the rapidity range 2.5<y<4, over the transverse momentum range 2<pt<12 GeV/c. The results are compared to predictions based on perturbative QCD calculations.
A measurement of the multi-strange Ξ− and Ω− baryons and their antiparticles by the ALICE experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is presented for inelastic proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The transverse momentum (pT) distributions were studied at mid-rapidity (|y|<0.5) in the range of 0.6<pT<8.5 GeV/c for Ξ− and Ξ¯+ baryons, and in the range of 0.8<pT<5 GeV/c for Ω− and Ω¯+. Baryons and antibaryons were measured as separate particles and we find that the baryon to antibaryon ratio of both particle species is consistent with unity over the entire range of the measurement. The statistical precision of the current data has allowed us to measure a difference between the mean pT of Ξ− (Ξ¯+) and Ω− (Ω¯+). Particle yields, mean pT, and the spectra in the intermediate pT range are not well described by the PYTHIA Perugia 2011 tune Monte Carlo event generator, which has been tuned to reproduce the early LHC data. The discrepancy is largest for Ω− (Ω¯+). This PYTHIA tune approaches the pT spectra of Ξ− and Ξ¯+ baryons below pT<0.85 GeV/c and describes the Ξ− and Ξ¯+ spectra above pT>6.0 GeV/c. We also illustrate the difference between the experimental data and model by comparing the corresponding ratios of (Ω−+Ω¯+)/(Ξ−+Ξ¯+) as a function of transverse mass.
Identical neutral kaon pair correlations are measured in √s=7 TeV pp collisions in the ALICE experiment. One-dimensional Ks0Ks0 correlation functions in terms of the invariant momentum difference of kaon pairs are formed in two multiplicity and two transverse momentum ranges. The femtoscopic parameters for the radius and correlation strength of the kaon source are extracted. The fit includes quantum statistics and final-state interactions of the a0/f0 resonance. Ks0Ks0 correlations show an increase in radius for increasing multiplicity and a slight decrease in radius for increasing transverse mass, mT, as seen in ππ correlations in pp collisions and in heavy-ion collisions. Transverse mass scaling is observed between the Ks0Ks0 and ππ radii. Also, the first observation is made of the decay of the f2′(1525) meson into the Ks0Ks0 channel in pp collisions.
The ALICE Collaboration has measured inclusive J/ψ production in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy √s=2.76 TeV at the LHC. The results presented in this Letter refer to the rapidity ranges |y|<0.9 and 2.5<y<4 and have been obtained by measuring the electron and muon pair decay channels, respectively. The integrated luminosities for the two channels are Linte=1.1 nb−1 and Lintμ=19.9 nb−1, and the corresponding signal statistics are NJ/ψe+e−=59±14 and NJ/ψμ+μ−=1364±53. We present dσJ/ψ/dy for the two rapidity regions under study and, for the forward-y range, d2σJ/ψ/dydpt in the transverse momentum domain 0<pt<8 GeV/c. The results are compared with previously published results at s=7 TeV and with theoretical calculations.
The inclusive transverse momentum (pT) distributions of primary charged particles are measured in the pseudo-rapidity range |η|<0.8 as a function of event centrality in Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV with ALICE at the LHC. The data are presented in the pT range 0.15<pT<50 GeV/c for nine centrality intervals from 70–80% to 0–5%. The results in Pb–Pb are presented in terms of the nuclear modification factor RAA using a pp reference spectrum measured at the same collision energy. We observe that the suppression of high-pT particles strongly depends on event centrality. The yield is most suppressed in central collisions (0–5%) with RAA≈0.13 at pT=6–7 GeV/c. Above pT=7 GeV/c, there is a significant rise in the nuclear modification factor, which reaches RAA≈0.4 for pT>30 GeV/c. In peripheral collisions (70–80%), only moderate suppression (RAA=0.6–0.7) and a weak pT dependence is observed. The measured nuclear modification factors are compared to other measurements and model calculations.
The production cross section of electrons from semileptonic decays of beauty hadrons was measured at mid-rapidity (|y|<0.8) in the transverse momentum range 1<pT<8 GeV/c with the ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC in pp collisions at a center of mass energy √s=7 TeV using an integrated luminosity of 2.2 nb−1. Electrons from beauty hadron decays were selected based on the displacement of the decay vertex from the collision vertex. A perturbative QCD calculation agrees with the measurement within uncertainties. The data were extrapolated to the full phase space to determine the total cross section for the production of beauty quark–antiquark pairs.
The elliptic, v2, triangular, v3, and quadrangular, v4, azimuthal anisotropic flow coefficients are measured for unidentified charged particles, pions, and (anti-)protons in Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Results obtained with the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods are reported for the pseudo-rapidity range |η|<0.8 at different collision centralities and as a function of transverse momentum, pT, out to pT=20 GeV/c. The observed non-zero elliptic and triangular flow depends only weakly on transverse momentum for pT>8 GeV/c. The small pT dependence of the difference between elliptic flow results obtained from the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods suggests a common origin of flow fluctuations up to pT=8 GeV/c. The magnitude of the (anti-)proton elliptic and triangular flow is larger than that of pions out to at least pT=8 GeV/c indicating that the particle type dependence persists out to high pT.
The ALICE Collaboration has made the first measurement at the LHC of J/ψ photoproduction in ultra-peripheral Pb–Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV. The J/ψ 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 μb−1. The cross section for coherent J/ψ production in the rapidity interval −3.6<y<−2.6 is measured to be dσJ/ψcoh/dy=1.00±0.18(stat)−0.26+0.24(syst) mb. The result is compared to theoretical models for coherent J/ψ production and found to be in good agreement with those models which include nuclear gluon shadowing.
Collective behavior has been observed in high-energy heavy-ion collisions for several decades. Collectivity is driven by the high particle multiplicities that are produced in these collisions. At the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), features of collectivity have also been seen in high-multiplicity proton-proton collisions that can attain particle multiplicities comparable to peripheral Pb-Pb collisions. One of the possible signatures of collective behavior is the decrease of femtoscopic radii extracted from pion and kaon pairs emitted from high-multiplicity collisions with increasing pair transverse momentum. This decrease can be described in terms of an approximate transverse mass scaling. In the present work, femtoscopic analyses are carried out by the ALICE collaboration on charged pion and kaon pairs produced in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV from the LHC to study possible collectivity in pp collisions. The event-shape analysis method based on transverse sphericity is used to select for spherical versus jet-like events, and the effects of this selection on the femtoscopic radii for both charged pion and kaon pairs are studied. This is the first time this selection method has been applied to charged kaon pairs. An approximate transverse-mass scaling of the radii is found in all multiplicity ranges studied when the difference in the Lorentz boost for pions and kaons is taken into account. This observation does not support the hypothesis of collective expansion of hot and dense matter that should only occur in high-multiplicity events. A possible alternate explanation of the present results is based on a scenario of common emission conditions for pions and kaons in pp collisions for the multiplicity ranges studied.
This Letter presents the most precise measurement to date of the matter/antimatter imbalance at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. Using the Statistical Hadronization framework, it is possible to obtain the value of the electric charge and baryon chemical potentials, μQ=−0.18±0.90 MeV and μB=0.71±0.45 MeV, with unprecedented precision. A centrality-differential study of the antiparticle-to-particle yield ratios of charged pions, protons, Ω-baryons, and light (hyper)nuclei is performed. These results indicate that the system created in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC is on average baryon-free and electrically neutral at midrapidity.
K+K− pairs may be produced in photonuclear collisions, either from the decays of photoproduced ϕ(1020) mesons, or directly as non-resonant K+K− pairs. Measurements of K+K− photoproduction probe the couplings between the ϕ(1020) and charged kaons with photons and nuclear targets. We present the first measurement of coherent photoproduction of K+K− pairs on lead ions in ultra-peripheral collisions using the ALICE detector, including the first investigation of direct K+K− production. There is significant K+K− production at low transverse momentum, consistent with coherent photoproduction on lead targets. In the mass range 1.1<MKK<1.4 GeV/c2 above the ϕ(1020) resonance, for rapidity |yKK|<0.8 and pT,KK<0.1 GeV/c, the measured coherent photoproduction cross section is dσ/dy = 3.37 ± 0.61 (stat.) ± 0.15 (syst.) mb. The centre-of-mass energy per nucleon of the photon-nucleus (Pb) system WγPb,n ranges from 33 to 188 GeV, far higher than previous measurements on heavy-nucleus targets. The cross section is larger than expected for ϕ(1020) photoproduction alone. The mass spectrum is fit to a cocktail consisting of ϕ(1020) decays, direct K+K− photoproduction, and interference between the two. The confidence regions for the amplitude and relative phase angle for direct K+K− photoproduction are presented.
Studying strangeness and baryon production mechanisms through angular correlations between charged
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The angular correlations between charged Ξ baryons and associated identified hadrons (pions, kaons, protons, Λ baryons, and Ξ baryons) are measured in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV with the ALICE detector to give insight into the particle production mechanisms and balancing of quantum numbers on the microscopic level. In particular, the distribution of strangeness is investigated in the correlations between the doubly-strange Ξ baryon and mesons and baryons that contain a single strange quark, K and Λ. As a reference, the results are compared to Ξπ and Ξp correlations, where the associated mesons and baryons do not contain a strange valence quark. These measurements are expected to be sensitive to whether strangeness is produced through string breaking or in a thermal production scenario. Furthermore, the multiplicity dependence of the correlation functions is measured to look for the turn-on of additional particle production mechanisms with event activity. The results are compared to predictions from the string-breaking model PYTHIA 8, including tunes with baryon junctions and rope hadronisation enabled, the cluster hadronisation ly or qualitatively by the Monte Carlo models, no one model can match all features of the data. These results provide stringent constraints on the strangeness and baryon number production mechanisms in pp collisions.
The Chiral Magnetic Wave (CMW) phenomenon is essential to provide insights into the strong interaction in QCD, the properties of the quark-gluon plasma, and the topological characteristics of the early universe, offering a deeper understanding of fundamental physics in high-energy collisions. Measurements of the charge-dependent anisotropic flow coefficients are studied in Pb-Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision sNN−−−√= 5.02 TeV to probe the CMW. In particular, the slope of the normalized difference in elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) flow coefficients of positively and negatively charged particles as a function of their event-wise normalized number difference, is reported for inclusive and identified particles. The slope rNorm3 is found to be larger than zero and to have a magnitude similar to rNorm2, thus pointing to a large background contribution for these measurements. Furthermore, rNorm2 can be described by a blast wave model calculation that incorporates local charge conservation. In addition, using the event shape engineering technique yields a fraction of CMW (fCMW) contribution to this measurement which is compatible with zero. This measurement provides the very first upper limit for fCMW, and in the 10-60% centrality interval it is found to be 26% (38%) at 95% (99.7%) confidence level.
The first measurement of the e+e− pair production at midrapidity and low invariant mass in central Pb−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV at the LHC is presented. The yield of e+e− pairs is compared with a cocktail of expected hadronic decay contributions in the invariant mass (mee) and pair transverse momentum (pT,ee) ranges mee<3.5 GeV/c2 and pT,ee<8 GeV/c. For 0.18<mee<0.5 GeV/c2 the ratio of data to the cocktail of hadronic contributions without ρ mesons amounts to 1.42±0.12 (stat.)±0.17 (syst.)±0.12 (cocktail) and 1.44±0.12 (stat.)±0.17 (syst.)+0.17−0.21 (cocktail), including or not including medium effects in the estimation of the heavy-flavor background, respectively. It is consistent with predictions from two different models for an additional contribution of thermal e+e− pairs from the hadronic and partonic phases. In the intermediate-mass range (1.2<mee<2.6 GeV/c2), the pair transverse impact parameter of the e+e− pairs (DCAee) is used for the first time in Pb−Pb collisions to separate displaced dielectrons from heavy-flavor hadron decays from a possible (thermal) contribution produced at the interaction point. The data are consistent with a suppression of e+e− pairs from cc¯¯ and an additional prompt component. Finally, the first direct-photon measurement in the 10% most central Pb−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV is reported via the study of virtual direct photons in the transverse momentum range 1<pT<5 GeV/c. A model including prompt photons, as well as photons from the pre-equilibrium and fluid-dynamic phases, can reproduce the result, while being at the upper edge of the data uncertainties.
The ALICE Collaboration reports the measurement of semi-inclusive distributions of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high pT) hadron trigger in proton−proton and central Pb−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. A data-driven statistical method is used to mitigate the large uncorrelated background in central Pb−Pb collisions. Recoil jet distributions are reported for jet resolution parameter R=0.2, 0.4, and 0.5 in the range 7<pT,jet<140 GeV/c and trigger−recoil jet azimuthal separation π/2<Δφ<π. The measurements exhibit a marked medium-induced jet yield enhancement at low pT and at large azimuthal deviation from Δφ∼π. The enhancement is characterized by its dependence on Δφ, which has a slope that differs from zero by 4.7σ. Comparisons to model calculations incorporating different formulations of jet quenching are reported. These comparisons indicate that the observed yield enhancement arises from the response of the QGP medium to jet propagation.
The ALICE Collaboration reports the measurement of semi-inclusive distributions of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high pT) hadron trigger in proton−proton and central Pb−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. A data-driven statistical method is used to mitigate the large uncorrelated background in central Pb−Pb collisions. Recoil jet distributions are reported for jet resolution parameter R=0.2, 0.4, and 0.5 in the range 7<pT,jet<140 GeV/c and trigger−recoil jet azimuthal separation π/2<Δφ<π. The measurements exhibit a marked medium-induced jet yield enhancement at low pT and at large azimuthal deviation from Δφ∼π. The enhancement is characterized by its dependence on Δφ, which has a slope that differs from zero by 4.7σ. Comparisons to model calculations incorporating different formulations of jet quenching are reported. These comparisons indicate that the observed yield enhancement arises from the response of the QGP medium to jet propagation.
The ALICE Collaboration reports measurements of the semi-inclusive distribution of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high pT) charged hadron, in pp and central Pb−Pb collisions at center of mass energy per nucleon−nucleon collision sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. The large uncorrelated background in central Pb−Pb collisions is corrected using a data-driven statistical approach, which enables precise measurement of recoil jet distributions over a broad range in pT,chjet and jet resolution parameter R. Recoil jet yields are reported for R=0.2, 0.4, and 0.5 in the range 7<pT,chjet<140 GeV/c and π/2<Δφ<π, where Δφ is the azimuthal angular separation between hadron trigger and recoil jet. The low pT,chjet reach of the measurement explores unique phase space for studying jet quenching, the interaction of jets with the quark-gluonnplasma generated in high-energy nuclear collisions. Comparison of pT,chjet distributions from pp and central Pb−Pb collisions probes medium-induced jet energy loss and intra-jet broadening, while comparison of their acoplanarity distributions explores in-medium jet scattering and medium response. The measurements are compared to theoretical calculations incorporating jet quenching.
The ALICE Collaboration reports measurements of the semi-inclusive distribution of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high pT) charged hadron, in pp and central Pb−Pb collisions at center of mass energy per nucleon−nucleon collision sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. The large uncorrelated background in central Pb−Pb collisions is corrected using a data-driven statistical approach, which enables precise measurement of recoil jet distributions over a broad range in pT,chjet and jet resolution parameter R. Recoil jet yields are reported for R=0.2, 0.4, and 0.5 in the range 7<pT,chjet<140 GeV/c and π/2<Δφ<π, where Δφ is the azimuthal angular separation between hadron trigger and recoil jet. The low pT,chjet reach of the measurement explores unique phase space for studying jet quenching, the interaction of jets with the quark-gluonnplasma generated in high-energy nuclear collisions. Comparison of pT,chjet distributions from pp and central Pb−Pb collisions probes medium-induced jet energy loss and intra-jet broadening, while comparison of their acoplanarity distributions explores in-medium jet scattering and medium response. The measurements are compared to theoretical calculations incorporating jet quenching.
The first measurements of skewness and kurtosis of mean transverse momentum (⟨pT⟩) fluctuations are reported in Pb−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV, Xe−Xe collisions at sNN−−−√ = 5.44 TeV and pp collisions at s√=5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector. The measurements are carried out as a function of system size ⟨dNch/dη⟩1/3|η|<0.5, using charged particles with transverse momentum (pT) and pseudorapidity (η), in the range 0.2<pT<3.0 GeV/c and |η|<0.8, respectively. In Pb−Pb and Xe−Xe collisions, positive skewness is observed in the fluctuations of ⟨pT⟩ for all centralities, which is significantly larger than what would be expected in the scenario of independent particle emission. This positive skewness is considered a crucial consequence of the hydrodynamic evolution of the hot and dense nuclear matter created in heavy-ion collisions. Furthermore, similar observations of positive skewness for minimum bias pp collisions are also reported here. Kurtosis of ⟨pT⟩ fluctuations is found to be in good agreement with the kurtosis of Gaussian distribution, for most central Pb−Pb collisions. Hydrodynamic model calculations with MUSIC using Monte Carlo Glauber initial conditions are able to explain the measurements of both skewness and kurtosis qualitatively from semicentral to central collisions in Pb--Pb system. Color reconnection mechanism in PYTHIA8 model seems to play a pivotal role in capturing the qualitative behavior of the same measurements in pp collisions.
Deuterons are atomic nuclei composed of a neutron and a proton held together by the strong interaction. Unbound ensembles composed of a deuteron and a third nucleon have been investigated in the past using scattering experiments and they constitute a fundamental reference in nuclear physics to constrain nuclear interactions and the properties of nuclei. In this work K+−d and p−d femtoscopic correlations measured by the ALICE Collaboration in proton−proton (pp) collisions at s√=13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are presented. It is demonstrated that correlations in momentum space between deuterons and kaons or protons allow us to study three-hadron systems at distances comparable with the proton radius. The analysis of the K+−d correlation shows that the relative distances at which deuterons and proton/kaons are produced are around 2 fm. The analysis of the p−d correlation shows that only a full three-body calculation that accounts for the internal structure of the deuteron can explain the data. In particular, the sensitivity of the observable to the short-range part of the interaction is demonstrated. These results indicate that correlations involving light nuclei in pp collisions at the LHC will also provide access to any three-body systems in the strange and charm sectors.
The ALICE Collaboration reports a search for jet quenching effects in high-multiplicity (HM) proton−proton collisions at s√ = 13 TeV, using the semi-inclusive azimuthal-difference distribution Δφ of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high-pT,trig) trigger hadron. Jet quenching may broaden the Δφ distribution measured in HM events compared to that in minimum bias (MB) events. The measurement employs a pT,trig-differential observable for data-driven suppression of the contribution of multiple partonic interactions, which is the dominant background. While azimuthal broadening is indeed observed in HM compared to MB events, similar broadening for HM events is observed for simulations based on the PYTHIA 8 Monte Carlo generator, which does not incorporate jet quenching. We elucidate the origin of the broadening by comparing biases induced by HM selection in the data and simulations, and discuss its implications for the study of jet quenching in small collision systems.
The first measurements of K∗(892)0 resonance production as a function of charged-particle multiplicity in Xe−Xe collisions at sNN−−−√= 5.44 TeV and pp collisions at s√= 5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector are presented. The resonance is reconstructed at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) using the hadronic decay channel K∗0→K±π∓. Measurements of transverse-momentum integrated yield, mean transverse-momentum, nuclear modification factor of K∗0, and yield ratios of resonance to stable hadron (K∗0/K) are compared across different collision systems (pp, p−Pb, Xe−Xe, and Pb−Pb) at similar collision energies to investigate how the production of K∗0 resonances depends on the size of the system formed in these collisions. The hadronic rescattering effect is found to be independent of the size of colliding systems and mainly driven by the produced charged-particle multiplicity, which is a proxy of the volume of produced matter at the chemical freeze-out. In addition, the production yields of K∗0 in Xe−Xe collisions are utilized to constrain the dependence of the kinetic freeze-out temperature on the system size using HRG-PCE model.
Measurements of the production cross sections of prompt D0, D+, D∗+, D+s, Λ+c, and Ξ+c charm hadrons at midrapidity in proton−proton collisions at s√=13 TeV with the ALICE detector are presented. The D-meson cross sections as a function of transverse momentum (pT) are provided with improved precision and granularity. The ratios of pT-differential meson production cross sections based on this publication and on measurements at different rapidity and collision energy provide a constraint on gluon parton distribution functions at low values of Bjorken-x (10−5−10−4). The measurements of Λ+c (Ξ+c) baryon production extend the measured pT intervals down to pT=0(3)~GeV/c. These measurements are used to determine the charm-quark fragmentation fractions and the cc¯¯ production cross section at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) based on the sum of the cross sections of the weakly-decaying ground-state charm hadrons D0, D+, D+s, Λ+c, Ξ0c and, for the first time, Ξ+c, and of the strongly-decaying J/psi mesons. The first measurements of Ξ+c and Σ0,++c fragmentation fractions at midrapidity are also reported. A significantly larger fraction of charm quarks hadronising to baryons is found compared to e+e− and ep collisions. The cc¯¯ production cross section at midrapidity is found to be at the upper bound of state-of-the-art perturbative QCD calculations.
Measurements of the production cross sections of prompt D0, D+, D∗+, D+s, Λ+c, and Ξ+c charm hadrons at midrapidity in proton−proton collisions at s√=13 TeV with the ALICE detector are presented. The D-meson cross sections as a function of transverse momentum (pT) are provided with improved precision and granularity. The ratios of pT-differential meson production cross sections based on this publication and on measurements at different rapidity and collision energy provide a constraint on gluon parton distribution functions at low values of Bjorken-x (10−5−10−4). The measurements of Λ+c (Ξ+c) baryon production extend the measured pT intervals down to pT=0(3)~GeV/c. These measurements are used to determine the charm-quark fragmentation fractions and the cc¯¯ production cross section at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) based on the sum of the cross sections of the weakly-decaying ground-state charm hadrons D0, D+, D+s, Λ+c, Ξ0c and, for the first time, Ξ+c, and of the strongly-decaying J/psi mesons. The first measurements of Ξ+c and Σ0,++c fragmentation fractions at midrapidity are also reported. A significantly larger fraction of charm quarks hadronising to baryons is found compared to e+e− and ep collisions. The cc¯¯ production cross section at midrapidity is found to be at the upper bound of state-of-the-art perturbative QCD calculations.
Results on the transverse spherocity dependence of light-flavor particle production (π, K, p, ϕ, K∗0, K0S, Λ, Ξ) at midrapidity in high-multiplicity pp collisions at s√=13 TeV were obtained with the ALICE apparatus. The transverse spherocity estimator (SpT=1O) categorizes events by their azimuthal topology. Utilizing narrow selections on SpT=1O, it is possible to contrast particle production in collisions dominated by many soft initial interactions with that observed in collisions dominated by one or more hard scatterings. Results are reported for two multiplicity estimators covering different pseudorapidity regions. The SpT=1O estimator is found to effectively constrain the hardness of the events when the midrapidity (|η|<0.8) estimator is used. The production rates of strange particles are found to be slightly higher for soft isotropic topologies, and severely suppressed in hard jet-like topologies. These effects are more pronounced for hadrons with larger mass and strangeness content, and observed when the topological selection is done within a narrow multiplicity interval. This demonstrates that an important aspect of the universal scaling of strangeness enhancement with final-state multiplicity is that high-multiplicity collisions are dominated by soft, isotropic processes. On the contrary, strangeness production in events with jet-like processes is significantly reduced. The results presented in this article are compared with several QCD-inspired Monte Carlo event generators. Models that incorporate a two-component phenomenology, either through mechanisms accounting for string density, or thermal production, are able to describe the observed strangeness enhancement as a function of SpT=1O.
Long- and short-range correlations for pairs of charged particles are studied via two-particle angular correlations in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV and p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. The correlation functions are measured as a function of relative azimuthal angle Δφ and pseudorapidity separation Δη for pairs of primary charged particles within the pseudorapidity interval |η|<0.9 and the transverse-momentum interval 1<pT<4 GeV/c. Flow coefficients are extracted for the long-range correlations (1.6<|Δη|<1.8) in various high-multiplicity event classes using the low-multiplicity template fit method. The method is used to subtract the enhanced yield of away-side jet fragments in high-multiplicity events. These results show decreasing flow signals toward lower multiplicity events. Furthermore, the flow coefficients for events with hard probes, such as jets or leading particles, do not exhibit any significant changes compared to those obtained from high-multiplicity events without any specific event selection criteria. The results are compared with hydrodynamic-model calculations, and it is found that a better understanding of the initial conditions is necessary to describe the results, particularly for low-multiplicity events.
Modification of charged-particle jets in event-shape engineered Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV
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Charged-particle jet yields have been measured in semicentral Pb−Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision sNN−−−√=5 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. These yields are reported as a function of the jet transverse momentum, and further classified by their angle with respect to the event plane and the event shape, characterized by ellipticity, in an effort to study the path-length dependence of jet quenching. Jets were reconstructed at midrapidity from charged-particle tracks using the anti-kT algorithm with resolution parameters R= 0.2 and 0.4, with event-plane angle and event-shape values determined using information from forward scintillating detectors. The results presented in this letter show that, in semicentral Pb−Pb collisions, there is no significant difference between jet yields in predominantly isotropic and elliptical events. However, out-of-plane jets are observed to be more suppressed than in-plane jets. Further, this relative suppression is greater for low transverse momentum (< 50 GeV/c) R= 0.2 jets produced in elliptical events, with out-of-plane to in-plane jet-yield ratios varying up to 5.2σ between different event-shape classes. These results agree with previous studies indicating that jets experience azimuthally anisotropic suppression when traversing the QGP medium, and can provide additional constraints on the path-length dependence of jet energy loss.
The first measurements of femtoscopic correlations with the particle pair combinations π±K0S in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are reported by the ALICE experiment. Using the femtoscopic approach, it is shown that it is possible to study the elusive K∗0(700) particle that has been considered a tetraquark candidate for over forty years. Boson source parameters and final-state interaction parameters are extracted by fitting a model assuming a Gaussian source to the experimentally measured two-particle correlation functions. The final-state interaction is modeled through a resonant scattering amplitude, defined in terms of a mass and a coupling parameter, decaying into a π±K0S pair. The extracted mass and Breit-Wigner width, derived from the coupling parameter, of the final-state interaction are found to be consistent with previous measurements of the K∗0(700). The small value and increasing behavior of the correlation strength with increasing source size support the hypothesis that the K∗0(700) is a four-quark state, i.e. a tetraquark state. This latter trend is also confirmed via a simple geometric model that assumes a tetraquark structure of the K∗0(700) resonance.
The first measurements of femtoscopic correlations with the particle pair combinations π±K0S in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are reported by the ALICE experiment. Using the femtoscopic approach, it is shown that it is possible to study the elusive K∗0(700) particle that has been considered a tetraquark candidate for over forty years. Boson source parameters and final-state interaction parameters are extracted by fitting a model assuming a Gaussian source to the experimentally measured two-particle correlation functions. The final-state interaction is modeled through a resonant scattering amplitude, defined in terms of a mass and a coupling parameter, decaying into a π±K0S pair. The extracted mass and Breit-Wigner width, derived from the coupling parameter, of the final-state interaction are found to be consistent with previous measurements of the K∗0(700). The small value and increasing behavior of the correlation strength with increasing source size support the hypothesis that the K∗0(700) is a four-quark state, i.e. a tetraquark state. This latter trend is also confirmed via a simple geometric model that assumes a tetraquark structure of the K∗0(700) resonance.
Correlations in azimuthal angle extending over a long range in pseudorapidity between particles, usually called the "ridge" phenomenon, were discovered in heavy-ion collisions, and later found in pp and p−Pb collisions. In large systems, they are thought to arise from the expansion (collective flow) of the produced particles. Extending these measurements over a wider range in pseudorapidity and final-state particle multiplicity is important to understand better the origin of these long-range correlations in small-collision systems. In this Letter, measurements of the long-range correlations in p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV are extended to a pseudorapidity gap of Δη∼8 between particles using the ALICE, forward multiplicity detectors. After suppressing non-flow correlations, e.g., from jet and resonance decays, the ridge structure is observed to persist up to a very large gap of Δη∼8 for the first time in p−Pb collisions. This shows that the collective flow-like correlations extend over an extensive pseudorapidity range also in small-collision systems such as p−Pb collisions. The pseudorapidity dependence of the second-order anisotropic flow coefficient, v2({\eta}), is extracted from the long-range correlations. The v2(η) results are presented for a wide pseudorapidity range of −3.1<η<4.8 in various centrality classes in p−Pb collisions. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the source of anisotropic flow in small-collision systems, the v2(η) measurements are compared to hydrodynamic and transport model calculations. The comparison suggests that the final-state interactions play a dominant role in developing the anisotropic flow in small-collision systems.
Correlations in azimuthal angle extending over a long range in pseudorapidity between particles, usually called the "ridge" phenomenon, were discovered in heavy-ion collisions, and later found in pp and p−Pb collisions. In large systems, they are thought to arise from the expansion (collective flow) of the produced particles. Extending these measurements over a wider range in pseudorapidity and final-state particle multiplicity is important to understand better the origin of these long-range correlations in small-collision systems. In this Letter, measurements of the long-range correlations in p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV are extended to a pseudorapidity gap of Δη∼8 between particles using the ALICE, forward multiplicity detectors. After suppressing non-flow correlations, e.g., from jet and resonance decays, the ridge structure is observed to persist up to a very large gap of Δη∼8 for the first time in p−Pb collisions. This shows that the collective flow-like correlations extend over an extensive pseudorapidity range also in small-collision systems such as p−Pb collisions. The pseudorapidity dependence of the second-order anisotropic flow coefficient, v2({\eta}), is extracted from the long-range correlations. The v2(η) results are presented for a wide pseudorapidity range of −3.1<η<4.8 in various centrality classes in p−Pb collisions. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the source of anisotropic flow in small-collision systems, the v2(η) measurements are compared to hydrodynamic and transport model calculations. The comparison suggests that the final-state interactions play a dominant role in developing the anisotropic flow in small-collision systems.
Correlations in azimuthal angle extending over a long range in pseudorapidity between particles, usually called the "ridge" phenomenon, were discovered in heavy-ion collisions, and later found in pp and p−Pb collisions. In large systems, they are thought to arise from the expansion (collective flow) of the produced particles. Extending these measurements over a wider range in pseudorapidity and final-state particle multiplicity is important to understand better the origin of these long-range correlations in small-collision systems. In this Letter, measurements of the long-range correlations in p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV are extended to a pseudorapidity gap of Δη∼8 between particles using the ALICE, forward multiplicity detectors. After suppressing non-flow correlations, e.g., from jet and resonance decays, the ridge structure is observed to persist up to a very large gap of Δη∼8 for the first time in p−Pb collisions. This shows that the collective flow-like correlations extend over an extensive pseudorapidity range also in small-collision systems such as p−Pb collisions. The pseudorapidity dependence of the second-order anisotropic flow coefficient, v2({\eta}), is extracted from the long-range correlations. The v2(η) results are presented for a wide pseudorapidity range of −3.1<η<4.8 in various centrality classes in p−Pb collisions. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the source of anisotropic flow in small-collision systems, the v2(η) measurements are compared to hydrodynamic and transport model calculations. The comparison suggests that the final-state interactions play a dominant role in developing the anisotropic flow in small-collision systems.
The elliptic flow (v2) of D0 mesons from beauty-hadron decays (non-prompt D0) was measured in midcentral (30-50%) Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The D0 mesons were reconstructed at midrapidity (|y|<0.8) from their hadronic decay D0→K−π+, in the transverse momentum interval 2<pT<12 GeV/c. The result indicates a positive v2 for non-prompt D0 mesons with a significance of 2.7σ. The non-prompt D0-meson v2 is lower than that of prompt non-strange D mesons with 3.2σ significance in 2<pT<8 GeV/c, and compatible with the v2 of beauty-decay electrons. Theoretical calculations of beauty-quark transport in a hydrodynamically expanding medium describe the measurement within uncertainties.
The elliptic flow (v2) of D0 mesons from beauty-hadron decays (non-prompt D0) was measured in midcentral (30-50%) Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The D0 mesons were reconstructed at midrapidity (|y|<0.8) from their hadronic decay D0→K−π+, in the transverse momentum interval 2<pT<12 GeV/c. The result indicates a positive v2 for non-prompt D0 mesons with a significance of 2.7σ. The non-prompt D0-meson v2 is lower than that of prompt non-strange D mesons with 3.2σ significance in 2<pT<8 GeV/c, and compatible with the v2 of beauty-decay electrons. Theoretical calculations of beauty-quark transport in a hydrodynamically expanding medium describe the measurement within uncertainties.
Long- and short-range correlations for pairs of charged particles are studied via two-particle angular correlations in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV and p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. The correlation functions are measured as a function of relative azimuthal angle Δφ and pseudorapidity separation Δη for pairs of primary charged particles within the pseudorapidity interval |η|<0.9 and the transverse-momentum interval 1<pT<4 GeV/c. Flow coefficients are extracted for the long-range correlations (1.6<|Δη|<1.8) in various high-multiplicity event classes using the low-multiplicity template fit method. The method is used to subtract the enhanced yield of away-side jet fragments in high-multiplicity events. These results show decreasing flow signals toward lower multiplicity events. Furthermore, the flow coefficients for events with hard probes, such as jets or leading particles, do not exhibit any significant changes compared to those obtained from high-multiplicity events without any specific event selection criteria. The results are compared with hydrodynamic-model calculations, and it is found that a better understanding of the initial conditions is necessary to describe the results, particularly for low-multiplicity events.
Long- and short-range correlations for pairs of charged particles are studied via two-particle angular correlations in pp collisions at √sNN = 13 TeV and p–Pb collisions at √s = 5.02 TeV. The correlation functions are measured as a function of relative azimuthal angle ∆φ and pseudorapidity separation ∆η for pairs of primary charged particles within the pseudorapidity interval |η| < 0.9 and the transverse-momentum interval 1 < pT < 4 GeV/c. Flow coefficients are extracted for the long-range correlations (1.6 < |∆η| < 1.8) in various high-multiplicity event classes using the low-multiplicity template fit method. The method is used to subtract the enhanced yield of away-side jet fragments in high-multiplicity events. These results show decreasing flow signals toward lower multiplicity events. Furthermore, the flow coefficients for events with hard probes, such as jets or leading particles, do not exhibit any significant changes compared to those obtained from high-multiplicity events without any specific event selection criteria. The results are compared with hydrodynamic-model calculations, and it is found that a better understanding of the initial conditions is necessary to describe the results, particularly for low-multiplicity events.
This Letter presents the measurement of near-side associated per-trigger yields, denoted ridge yields, from the analysis of angular correlations of charged hadrons in proton-proton collisions at s√ = 13 TeV. Long-range ridge yields are extracted for pairs of charged particles with a pseudorapidity difference of 1.4<|Δη|<1.8 and a transverse momentum of 1<pT<2 GeV/c, as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity measured at midrapidity. This study extends the measurements of the ridge yield to the low multiplicity region, where in hadronic collisions it is typically conjectured that a strongly-interacting medium is unlikely to be formed. The precision of the new low multiplicity results allows for the first direct quantitative comparison with the results obtained in e+e− collisions at s√ = 91 GeV and s√ = 183−209 GeV, where initial-state effects such as pre-equilibrium dynamics and collision geometry are not expected to play a role. In the multiplicity range 8≲⟨Nch⟩≲24 where the e+e− results have good precision, the measured ridge yields in pp collisions are substantially larger than the limits set in e+e− annihilations. Consequently, the findings presented in this Letter suggest that the processes involved in e+e− annihilations do not contribute significantly to the emergence of long-range correlations in pp collisions.
Modification of charged-particle jets in event-shape engineered Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV
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Charged-particle jet yields have been measured in semicentral Pb−Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. These yields are reported as a function of the jet transverse momentum, and further classified by their angle with respect to the event plane and the event shape, characterized by ellipticity, in an effort to study the path-length dependence of jet quenching. Jets were reconstructed at midrapidity from charged-particle tracks using the anti-kT algorithm with resolution parameters R= 0.2 and 0.4, with event-plane angle and event-shape values determined using information from forward scintillating detectors. The results presented in this letter show that, in semicentral Pb−Pb collisions, there is no significant difference between jet yields in predominantly isotropic and elliptical events. However, out-of-plane jets are observed to be more suppressed than in-plane jets. Further, this relative suppression is greater for low transverse momentum (< 50 GeV/c) R= 0.2 jets produced in elliptical events, with out-of-plane to in-plane jet-yield ratios varying up to 5.2σ between different event-shape classes. These results agree with previous studies indicating that jets experience azimuthally anisotropic suppression when traversing the QGP medium, and can provide additional constraints on the path-length dependence of jet energy loss.
The production of the prompt charm mesons D0, D+, D∗+, and their antiparticles, was measured with the ALICE detector in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC, at a centre-of-mass energy sNN−−−−√=2.76 TeV per nucleon--nucleon collision. The pT-differential production yields in the range 2<pT<16 GeV/c at central rapidity, |y|<0.5, were used to calculate the nuclear modification factor RAA with respect to a proton-proton reference obtained from the cross section measured at s√=7 TeV and scaled to s√=2.76 TeV. For the three meson species, RAA shows a suppression by a factor 3-4, for transverse momenta larger than 5 GeV/c in the 20% most central collisions. The suppression is reduced for peripheral collisions.
The ALICE experiment has measured the inclusive J/ψ production in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=2.76 TeV down to zero transverse momentum in the rapidity range 2.5<y<4. A suppression of the inclusive J/ψ yield in Pb-Pb is observed with respect to the one measured in pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The nuclear modification factor, integrated over the 0-80% most central collisions, is 0.545±0.032(stat.)±0.083(syst.) and does not exhibit a significant dependence on the collision centrality. These features appear significantly different from measurements at lower collision energies. Models including J/ψ production from charm quarks in a deconfined partonic phase can describe our data.
The ALICE experiment has measured the inclusive J/psi production in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 2.76 TeV down to zero transverse momentum in the rapidity range 2.5 < y < 4. A suppression of the inclusive J/psi yield in Pb-Pb is observed with respect to the one measured in pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The nuclear modification factor, integrated over the 0%-80% most central collisions, is 0.545+/-0.032(stat)+/-0.083(syst) and does not exhibit a significant dependence on the collision centrality. These features appear significantly different from measurements at lower collision energies. Models including J/psi production from charm quarks in a deconfined partonic phase can describe our data.
The ALICE experiment has measured the inclusive J/ψ production in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=2.76 TeV down to zero transverse momentum in the rapidity range 2.5<y<4. A suppression of the inclusive J/ψ yield in Pb-Pb is observed with respect to the one measured in pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The nuclear modification factor, integrated over the 0-80% most central collisions, is 0.545±0.032(stat.)±0.083(syst.) and does not exhibit a significant dependence on the collision centrality. These features appear significantly different from measurements at lower collision energies. Models including J/ψ production from charm quarks in a deconfined partonic phase can describe our data.
The ALICE experiment has measured the inclusive J/psi production in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 2.76 TeV down to pt = 0 in the rapidity range 2.5 < y < 4. A suppression of the inclusive J/psi yield in Pb-Pb is observed with respect to the one measured in pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions. The nuclear modification factor, integrated over the 0%-80% most central collisions, is 0.545 +/- 0.032 (stat.) +/- 0.084 (syst.) and does not exhibit a significant dependence on the collision centrality. These features appear significantly different from lower energy measurements. Models including J/psi production from charm quarks in a deconfined partonic phase can describe our data.