An overview of resonance measurements at the ALICE experiment

Resonances play a unique role in the study of ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Resonance yields, which may be modified by rescattering and regeneration after hadronization, can be used to study the properties of the hadronic phase of the collision. The transversemomentum spectra of the proton and the ϕ(1020) can be used to study the mechanisms of particle production. In addition, resonance measurements in pp and p–Pb collisions help to distinguish initial-state effects from the effects of the hot and dense final state. The ALICE Collaboration has studied the K * (892) 0 and ϕ(1020) mesons in pp, p–Pb, and Pb–Pb collisions. Measurements of many resonance properties, including p T spectra, integrated yields, masses, widths, mean p T values, and the nuclear modification factors R AA and R pPb , are presented and compared to measurements from other experiments, non-resonances, and the predictions of theoretical models.