Strangeness with ALICE: from pp to Pb-Pb

Understand

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).