Multiplicity dependence of light (anti-)nuclei production in p-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV


Acharya S., Adamova D., Adhya S. P., Adler A., Adolfsson J., Aggarwal M. M., ...More

PHYSICS LETTERS B, vol.800, 2020 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 800
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.physletb.2019.135043
  • Journal Name: PHYSICS LETTERS B
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aerospace Database, INSPEC, zbMATH, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Bursa Uludag University Affiliated: No

Abstract

The measurement of the deuteron and anti-deuteron production in the rapidity range -1 < y < 0 as a function of transverse momentum and event multiplicity in p-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 5.02 TeV is presented. (Anti-)deuterons are identified via their specific energy loss dE/dx and via their time-of-flight. Their production in p-Pb collisions is compared to pp and Pb-Pb collisions and is discussed within the context of thermal and coalescence models. The ratio of integrated yields of deuterons to protons (d/p) shows a significant increase as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity of the event starting from values similar to those observed in pp collisions at low multiplicities and approaching those observed in Pb-Pb collisions at high multiplicities. The mean transverse particle momenta are extracted from the deuteron spectra and the values are similar to those obtained for p and Lambda particles. Thus, deuteron spectra do not follow mass ordering. This behaviour is in contrast to the trend observed for non-composite particles in p-Pb collisions. In addition, the production of the rare He-3 and (3)(He) over bar nuclei has been studied. The spectrum corresponding to all non-single diffractive p-Pb collisions is obtained in the rapidity window -1 < y < 0 and the p(T)-integrated yield dN/dy is extracted. It is found that the yields of protons, deuterons, and He-3, normalised by the spin degeneracy factor, follow an exponential decrease with mass number. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V.