Observables for possible QGP signatures in central pp collisions

Abstract

Proton-proton (pp) data show collective effects, such as long-range azimuthal correlations and strangeness enhancement, which are similar to phenomenology observed in heavy ion collisions. Using simulations with and without explicit existing models of collective effects, we explore new ways to probe pp collisions at high multiplicity, in order to suggest measurements that could help identify the similarities and differences between large- and small-scale collective effects. In particular, we focus on the properties of jets produced in ultra-central pp collisions in association with a Z boson. We consider observables such as jet energy loss and jet shapes, which could point to the possible existence of an underlying quark-gluon plasma, or other new dynamical effects related to the presence of large hadronic densities.