Strangeness with ALICE: from pp to Pb-Pb

TL;DR

This paper reports measurements of strange and multi-strange hadrons in proton-proton and lead-lead collisions at the LHC, comparing data to investigate properties of the Quark-Gluon Plasma and its formation conditions.

Contribution

It provides new experimental data on strange particle production in different collision systems, enhancing understanding of QGP signatures at high energies.

Findings

Strangeness enhancement observed in Pb-Pb collisions

Particle spectra vary with collision centrality and energy

Data supports QGP formation in high-energy Pb-Pb collisions

Abstract

We present the measurements of strange and multi-strange hadrons in high energy pp and Pb-Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. The data for these measurements were collected by the ALICE detector in 2010 and 2011. By comparing strangeness data where Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) is not expected to be produced (pp collisions) with data where the energy-density of the collision is sufficient to produce the QGP (central and mid-central Pb-Pb collisions), we are able to investigate the properties of the QGP. We characterize the matter created in the collision by presenting strange and multi-strange particle spectra, yields, and transverse momenta in the context of increasing strangeness number, varying collision energy, and the number of nucleons participating in the collision (Npart).