ALICE latest results from Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC
par
Javier Castillo(CEA)
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Europe/Paris
LPNHE
LPNHE
Description
Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of strong interactions, predicts a phase transition from normal nuclear matter to a new state of deconfined quarks and gluons, the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP). The QGP is thought to have existed a few micro-seconds after the Big Bang and might also exist in the core of neutron stars. Ultra-realistic heavy ion collisions are used to reproduce the QGP formation conditions in the laboratory.
ALICE is the LHC experiment dedicated to the study of heavy ion collisions. The main purpose of ALICE is to investigate the properties of deconfined nuclear matter. In addition, a full understanding of the heavy-ion measurements requires a good knowledge of their counterpart in proton-proton (or proton-nucleus) collisions where the QGP is not formed.
Since 2010, ALICE has successfully taken p-p data at sqrt(s)= 2.76 TeV and sqrt(s)=7 TeV as well Pb-Pb data at sqrt(s_NN)=2.76 TeV. First, a general introduction on heavy-ion collisions and the QGP will be given. Then, we will present the ALICE experiment at the LHC and present the latest results in p-p and Pb-Pb collisions.