Measurements of azimuthal anisotropies at forward and backward rapidity with muons in high-multiplicity p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 8.16$ TeV

TL;DR

This paper measures azimuthal anisotropies of muons in high-multiplicity p-Pb collisions at 8.16 TeV, revealing significant collective behavior and providing new constraints for theoretical models of small-system collectivity.

Contribution

First application of two-particle cumulants to heavy-flavour muon $v_2$ measurements in p-Pb collisions, with results consistent across methods and extending understanding of collective effects.

Findings

Positive $v_2$ observed at both rapidities with high significance.

Compatibility of two different measurement techniques for $v_2$.

Comparison with models constrains theories of collective behavior in small systems.

Abstract

The study of the azimuthal anisotropy of inclusive muons produced in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 8.16$ TeV, using the ALICE detector at the LHC is reported. The measurement of the second-order Fourier coefficient of the particle azimuthal distribution, $v_2$, is performed as a function of transverse momentum $p_{\rm T}$ in the 0-20% high-multiplicity interval at both forward ($2.03 < y_{\rm CMS} < 3.53$) and backward ($-4.46 < y_{\rm CMS} < -2.96$) rapidities over a wide $p_{\rm T}$ range, $0.5 < p_{\rm T} < 10$ GeV/$c$, in which a dominant contribution of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays is expected at $p_{\rm T} > 2$ GeV/$c$. The $v_2$ coefficient of inclusive muons is extracted using two different techniques, namely two-particle cumulants, used for the first time for heavy-flavour measurements, and forward-central two-particle correlations. Both techniques give compatible results. A positive $v_2$ is measured at both forward and backward rapidities with a significance larger than $4.7\sigma$ and $7.6\sigma$, respectively, in the interval $2 < p_{\rm T} < 6$ GeV/$c$. Comparisons with previous measurements in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV, and with AMPT and CGC-based theoretical calculations are discussed. The findings impose new constraints on the theoretical interpretations of the origin of the collective behaviour in small collision systems.