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ALICE Calendar

ALICE mission

ALICE is optimized to study the collisions of nuclei at the ultra-relativistic energies provided by the LHC. The aim is to study the physics of strongly interacting matter at the highest energy densities reached so far in the laboratory. In such conditions, an extreme phase of matter - called the quark-gluon plasma - is formed. Our universe is thought to have been in such a primordial state for the first few millionths of a second after the Big Bang, before quarks and gluons were bound together to form protons and neutrons. Recreating this primordial state of matter in the laboratory and understanding how it evolves will allow us to shed light on questions about how matter is organized and the mechanisms that confine quarks and gluons. For this purpose, we are carrying out a comprehensive study of the hadrons, electrons, muons, and photons produced in the collisions of heavy nuclei (208Pb). ALICE is also studying proton-proton and proton-nucleus collisions both as a comparison with nucleus-nucleus collisions and in their own right. In 2021, ALICE completed a significant upgrade of its detectors to further enhance its capabilities and continue its scientific journey at the LHC in Run 3 and 4, until the end of 2032. At the same time,  upgrade plans are being made for ALICE 3, the next-generation experiment for LHC Runs 5 and 6.

Recent highlights

 

Recent highlights

Near collisions between lead nuclei at the LHC generate electromagnetic fields capable of briefly transforming lead nuclei into gold nuclei: read more ....
Stable particle beams are back in the LHC machine, marking the start of the 2025 physics data-taking campaign: read more ....
Experiments at the Large Hadron Collider have revealed a previously unseen nucleus known as antihyperhelium-4. Physics Magazine: read more ....

Latest ALICE Submissions

Femtoscopic study of the proton-proton and proton-deuteron systems in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC This work reports femtoscopic correlations of p$-$p ($\bar{\rm p}-\bar{\rm p}$) and p$-$d ($\bar{\rm p}-\bar{\rm d}$) pairs measured in Pb$-$Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV by the ALICE Collaboration. A fit to the measured proton-proton correlation functions allows one to extract the dependence of the nucleon femtoscopic radius of the particle-emitting source on the pair transverse mass ($m_\text{T}$) and on the average charge particle multiplicity $\langle\text{dN}_\text{ch}/\text{d}\eta\rangle^{1/3}$ for three centrality intervals (0$-$10$\%$, 10$-$30$\%$, 30$-$50$\%$). In both cases, the expected power-law and linear scalings are observed, respectively. The measured p$-$d correlations can be described by both two- and three-body calculations, indicating that the femtoscopy observable is not sensitive to the short-distance features of the dynamics of the p$-$(p$-$n) system, due to the large inter-particle distances in Pb$-$Pb collisions at the LHC. Indeed, in this study, the minimum measured femtoscopic source sizes for protons and deuterons have a minimum value at $2.73^{+0.05}_{-0.05}$ and $3.10^{+1.04}_{-0.86}$ fm, respectively, for the 30$-$50$\%$ centrality collisions. Moreover, the $m_{\rm{T}}$-scaling obtained for the p$-$p and p$-$d systems is compatible within 1$\sigma$ of the uncertainties. These findings provide new input for fundamental studies on the production of light (anti)nuclei under extreme conditions.
2505.01061
Long-range transverse momentum correlations and radial flow in Pb$-$Pb collisions at the LHC This Letter presents measurements of long-range transverse-momentum correlations using a new observable, $v_{0}(p_\mathrm{T})$, which serves as a probe of radial flow and medium properties in heavy-ion collisions. Results are reported for inclusive charged particles, pions, kaons, and protons across various centrality intervals in Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV, recorded by the ALICE detector. A pseudorapidity-gap technique, similar to that used in anisotropic-flow studies, is employed to suppress short-range correlations. At low $p_\mathrm{T}$, a characteristic mass ordering consistent with hydrodynamic collective flow is observed. At higher $p_\mathrm{T}$ ($> 3$ GeV/$c$), protons exhibit larger $v_{0}(p_\mathrm{T})$ than pions and kaons, in agreement with expectations from quark-recombination models. These results are sensitive to the bulk viscosity and the equation of state of the QCD medium formed in heavy-ion collisions.
2504.04796
Energy-energy correlators in charm-tagged jets in proton-proton collisions at $\mathbf{\sqrt{s} = 13}$ TeV In this letter, we present the first measurement of the energy-energy correlator (EEC) in charm-tagged jets from proton-proton (pp) collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV. EECs probe the structure of QCD radiation, providing a unique test of mass-dependent effects in parton showers involving a charm quark and offering a distinct view into non-perturbative phenomena, including the hadronization process. The EEC is measured for charm-tagged jets and flavor-untagged (inclusive) jets with transverse momenta of $10 < ~ p_{\rm T} < ~ 30$ GeV/$c$, where charm-quark mass effects are significant. We observe a significant suppression of the EEC amplitude in charm jets compared to inclusive ones, consistent with the expected suppression of radiation from massive quarks -- a fundamental prediction of QCD. Despite the significant amplitude difference, the observed peak positions of the charm and inclusive-jet EEC are similar, indicating a complex interplay between Casimir factor (differentiating quark and gluon jets), and quark-mass (dead-cone) effects in the QCD parton shower as well as subsequent hadronization effects. Comparisons with next-to-leading order calculations and various Monte Carlo event generators reveal the sensitivity of this observable to both mass effects in the parton shower and hadronization process. These results provide new constraints on theoretical models of heavy-quark jets and offer insights into the parton-to-hadron transition in QCD.
2504.03431
Centrality dependence of charged-particle pseudorapidity density at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at $\mathbf{\sqrt{\textit{s}_{\rm NN}} = 5.36}$ TeV The ALICE Collaboration reports its first LHC Run 3 measurements of charged-particle pseudorapidity density at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.36$ TeV. Particle multiplicity in high-energy collisions characterises the system geometry, constrains particle-production mechanisms, and is used to estimate initial energy density. Multiplicity also acts as a reference for subsequent measurements as a function of centrality. In this letter, for the first time, charged particles are reconstructed using the upgraded ALICE Inner Tracking System and Time Projection Chamber, while the collision centrality is determined by measuring charged-particle multiplicities with the Fast Interaction Trigger system. Pseudorapidity density, ${\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta$, is presented, averaged over events, for various centrality classes. Results are shown as a function of pseudorapidity and the average number of participating nucleons ($\langle N_{\mathrm{part}}\rangle$) in the collision. The average charged-particle pseudorapidity density ($\langle {\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta \rangle$) at midrapidity ($|\eta| < ~0.5$) is 2047 $\pm$ 54 for the 5% most central collisions. The value of $\langle {\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta \rangle$ normalised to $\langle N_{\mathrm{part}}\rangle/2$ as a function of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ follows the trend established in previous measurements in heavy-ion collisions. Theoretical models based on mechanisms for particle production in nuclear collisions that involve the formation of quark-gluon plasma medium and models based on individual nucleon-nucleon interactions are compared to the data.
2504.02505
D$^{0}$-meson-tagged jet axes difference in proton-proton collisions at $\mathbf{\sqrt{\textit{s}} = 5.02}$ TeV Heavy-flavor quarks produced in proton-proton (pp) collisions provide a unique opportunity to investigate the evolution of quark-initiated parton showers from initial hard scatterings to final-state hadrons. By examining jets that contain heavy-flavor hadrons, this study explores the effects of both perturbative and non-perturbative QCD on jet formation and structure. The angular differences between various jet axes, $\Delta R_{\rm axis}$, offer insight into the radiation patterns and fragmentation of charm quarks. The first measurement of D$^{0}$-tagged jet axes differences in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=5.02$ TeV by the ALICE experiment at the LHC is presented for jets with transverse momentum $p_{\rm T}^{\rm ch~jet} \geq 10$ ${\rm GeV}/c$ and D$^0$ mesons with $p_{\rm T}^{\rm D^{0}} \geq 5$ ${\rm GeV}/c$. In this D$^0$-meson-tagged jet measurement, three jet axis definitions, each with different sensitivities to soft, wide-angle radiation, are used: the Standard axis, Soft Drop groomed axis, and Winner-Takes-All axis. Measurements of the radial distributions of D$^0$ mesons with respect to the jet axes, $\Delta R_{\mathrm{axis-D^0}}$, are reported, along with the angle, $\Delta R_{\mathrm{axis}}$, between the three jet axes. The D$^{0}$ meson emerges as the leading particle in these jets, closely aligning with the Winner-Takes-All axis and diverging from the Standard jet axis. The results also examine how varying the sensitivity to soft radiation with grooming influences the orientation of the Soft Drop jet axis, and uncover that charm-jet structure is more likely to survive grooming when the Soft Drop axis is further from the D$^{0}$ direction, providing further evidence of the dead-cone effect recently measured by ALICE.
2504.02571
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Diversity and Inclusivity in ALICE

The ALICE Collaboration embraces and values the diversity of its team members and colleagues. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all people regardless of their nationality/culture, profession, age/generation, family situation and gender, as well as individual differences such as but not limited to ethnic origin, sexual orientation, belief, disability, or opinions provided that they are consistent with the Organization’s values.