Latest results from the NA61/SHINE experiment

TL;DR

The NA61/SHINE experiment at CERN investigates strong interactions by scanning various collision systems and energies, aiming to identify the onset of deconfinement and the critical point through analysis of hadron spectra, yields, and fluctuations.

Contribution

This paper reports on the latest experimental results and status updates from the NA61/SHINE program, including new data from multiple collision systems and energies.

Findings

Energy dependence of hadron spectra observed

Fluctuation patterns identified across systems

Preliminary results suggest signs of phase transition

Abstract

The NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron is pursuing a rich programme on strong interactions, which covers the study of the onset of deconfinement and aims to discover the critical point of strongly interacting matter by performing an energy and system-size scan over the full CERN SPS beam momentum range. So far the scans of p+p, p+Pb, Be+Be, and Ar+Sc interactions have been completed, samples of Pb+Pb data at three energies have already been taken and Xe+La collisions will be registered this year. Results from the different reactions are now emerging, in particular the energy dependence of hadron spectra and yields as well as fluctuations. This contribution presents status and preliminary results from this effort, as well as an outlook for future extensions of the strong interactions programme.