Global polarization of Λ and Λ¯ hyperons in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN= 2.76 and 5.02 TeV

The global polarization of the Lambda and (Lambda) over bar hyperons is measured for Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 and 5.02 TeV recorded with the ALICE at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The results are reported differentially as a function of collision centrality and hyperon's transverse momentum (pT) for the range of centrality 5-50%, 0.5 < pT < 5 GeV/c, and rapidity vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.5. The hyperon global polarization averaged for Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 and 5.02 TeV is found to be consistent with zero, < P-H > (%) approximate to 0.01 +/- 0.06 (stat.) +/- 0.03 (syst.) in the collision centrality range 15-50%, where the largest signal is expected. The results are compatible with expectations based on an extrapolation from measurements at lower collision energies at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, hydrodynamical model calculations, and empirical estimates based on collision energy dependence of directed flow, all of which predict the global polarization values at LHC energies of the order of 0.01%.