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

Información del proyecto

HeavyQGP

Identificador del acuerdo de subvención: 896850

DOI

10.3030/896850

Proyecto cerrado

Fecha de la firma de la CE 29 Julio 2020

Fecha de inicio 1 Marzo 2021

Fecha de finalización 28 Febrero 2023

Financiado con arreglo a

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Coste total

€ 196 707,84

Aportación de la UE

€ 196 707,84

Coordinado por

INSTITUT MINES-TELECOM
France

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

Período documentado: 2021-03-01 hasta 2023-02-28

Resumen del contexto y de los objetivos generales del proyecto

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.

Trabajo realizado desde el comienzo del proyecto hasta el final del período abarcado por el informe y los principales resultados hasta la fecha

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.

Avances que van más allá del estado de la técnica e impacto potencial esperado (incluida la repercusión socioeconómica y las implicaciones sociales más amplias del proyecto hasta la fecha)

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