Strange and Multi-Strange Particle Production in ALICE

Abstract

The production of strange and multi-strange hadrons in proton-proton (pp) and lead-lead (Pb-Pb) collisions is studied with the ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC. These particles are reconstructed via their weak decay topologies, exploiting the tracking and particle identification capabilities of ALICE. Measurements of central rapidity yields of $\Lambda$, $\Xi^{-}$ and $\Omega^{-}$ baryons, their antiparticles and ${\mathrm K}^{0}_{S}$ mesons are presented as a function of transverse momentum for Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=2.76$ TeV. They are compared to those observed in pp collisions as well as to results from lower energy nucleus-nucleus measurements.