Dielectron production in pp and Pb-Pb collisions with ALICE in Run 3

Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Germany

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Published online: 17 April 2026

Abstract

The measurement of dilepton production is a fundamental piece of the puzzle in the understanding of the hot and dense matter produced in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The dilepton spectrum provides information of all stages of the fireball evolution and gives direct access to the early phases of the collision. However, the interpretation of the measured spectra relies on a precise understanding of all the contributing sources. The measurement of dielectron production in proton-proton collisions, collected with the upgraded ALICE detector at √s = 13.6 TeV is presented together with the status of the Pb-Pb analysis at √s_NN = 5.36 TeV. In particular, the extraction of prompt (and non-prompt) dielectron spectra over a wide mass range is explained. In addition it is discussed, in which way such analysis could help to understand the Drell-Yan process in a non-perturbative regime and to investigate the onset of thermal radiation in high-multiplicity pp collisions.