Observation of beauty and quarkonia with the upgraded ALICE at the LHC

Projektinformationen

HeavyQGP

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 896850

DOI

10.3030/896850

Projekt abgeschlossen

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 29 Juli 2020

Startdatum 1 März 2021

Enddatum 28 Februar 2023

Finanziert unter

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Gesamtkosten

€ 196 707,84

EU-Beitrag

€ 196 707,84

Koordiniert durch

INSTITUT MINES-TELECOM
France

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HeavyQGP (Observation of beauty and quarkonia with the upgraded ALICE at the LHC)

Berichtszeitraum: 2021-03-01 bis 2023-02-28

Zusammenfassung vom Kontext und den Gesamtzielen des Projekts

The HeavyQGP project was part of an ambitious endeavor that probes the fundamental nature of matter in our universe, specifically delving into the properties of a state of matter known as the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). Thought to have existed just microseconds after the Big Bang, this exotic matter made up of quarks and gluons is recreated in high-energy collisions at the ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN.

One of the project's main goals was to further elucidate the behavior of particles known as J/psi mesons within and around this unique state of matter. J/psi mesons are composed of a charm quark and a charm antiquark, and they provide valuable insights into the strong nuclear force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature. One key tool in this investigation is the Muon Forward Tracker (MFT), which was installed at ALICE/LHC during the execution of HeavyQGP. One can imagine the MFT as a super-sensitive camera that can capture snapshots of fast-moving particles that are created in high-energy collisions. The MFT allows us to track these particles with great precision, helping us to understand the nature of QGP. HeavyQGP was responsible for MFT operation during observation of its first physics collisions and the sophisticated software to necessary to extract the most valuable information from MFT data.

In simpler terms, the HeavyQGP project was part of a cosmic detective endeavor, piecing together the universe's history and unraveling the laws that govern it. Even in the face of significant challenges due to the pandemic, the project made remarkable strides in understanding the nature of our universe and fostering future scientific minds.

Arbeit, die ab Beginn des Projekts bis zum Ende des durch den Bericht erfassten Berichtszeitraums geleistet wurde, und die wichtigsten bis dahin erzielten Ergebnisse

Throughout the project, the researcher played pivotal roles in both the operation and the software development for the Muon Forward Tracker (MFT). During the HeavyQGP project, the researcher coordinated, developed and refined this software, ensuring that the MFT could perform at its best. HeavyQGP meticulously planned and executed the commissioning of the MFT on-line and off-line software, including its integration into the overall ALICE computing systems. This process involved comprehensive tests and calibrations to ensure the MFT's optimal performance. HeavyQGP led to important results, including the creation of software tools for data reconstruction and quality control and the successful operation of the MFT during the first physics collisions.

Fortschritte, die über den aktuellen Stand der Technik hinausgehen und voraussichtliche potenzielle Auswirkungen (einschließlich der bis dato erzielten sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen und weiter gefassten gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen des Projekts)

The HeavyQGP project helped pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the universe. The successful operation of the MFT provides a larger window into the world of QGP, allowing scientists to explore phenomena that were previously inaccessible.

This project has also been dedicated to the principles of Open Science and has potential wider societal implications. The software tools developed for the MFT have been made openly available, contributing to the open science movement and providing valuable resources for future researchers. HeavyQGP also highlighted potential new applications of the ALICE pixel detector (ALPIDE) beyond high-energy physics. In this way, the HeavyQGP project has left a lasting legacy, with the potential to inspire and enable further investigations in the field of high-energy physics. Meanwhile, the project's contribution to the understanding about the fundamental laws of nature may, in the long term, have impacts that we cannot yet fully anticipate. This work represents a significant step forward in our quest to understand the universe we inhabit.

First reconstructed tracks observed by the MFT