ALICE is the heavy-ion experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The experiment continuously took data during the first physics campaign of the machine from fall 2009 until early 2013, using proton and lead-ion beams. In this paper we describe the running environment and the data handling procedures, and discuss the performance of the ALICE detectors and analysis methods for various physics observables.

The design, construction, and commissioning of the ALICE Time-Projection Chamber (TPC) is described. It is the main device for pattern recognition, tracking, and identification of charged particles in the ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC. The TPC is cylindrical in shape with a volume close to 90 m 3 and is operated in a 0.5 T solenoidal magnetic field parallel to its axis.In this paper we describe in detail the design considerations for this detector for operation in the extreme multiplicity environment of central Pb-Pb collisions at LHC energy. The implementation of the resulting requirements into hardware (field cage, readout chambers, electronics), infrastructure (gas and cooling system, laser-calibration system), and software led to many technical innovations which are described along with a presentation of all the major components of the detector, as currently realized. We also report on the performance achieved after completion of the first round of stand-alone calibration runs and demonstrate results close to those specified in the TPC Technical Design Report.

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Abstract--The ALICE High Momentum Particle Identification (HMPID) detector, presently under construction, consists of seven identical proximity focusing RICH counters, covering in total 11 m 2 and exploiting large area CsI photocathodes for Cherenkov light imaging. The detector design, assembly and quality checks will be presented, with particular emphasis on the CsI photocathodes production and validation procedure. Performance studies in beam tests of the produced detector modules and results on ageing of CsI photocathodes due to ions bombardment will be discussed.

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A RICH detector with a CsI photo-cathode and liquid perfluorohexane radiator has been installed in the STAR experiment at RHIC. The liquid is continuously cleaned and distributed to a quartz containment vessel within the detector by a closed recirculation system. A VUV spectrometer is connected to the system which monitors the optical transparency of the liquid. This measurement provides one of the pieces of information necessary to model the number of Cherenkov photons which reach the pad plane. A description of the liquid recirculation system and the cleaning procedure for the liquid as well as the spectrometer is presented along with results of their performance. r