Measurement of the Λ hyperon lifetime

A new, more precise measurement of the Lambda hyperon lifetime is performed using a large data sample of Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 5.02 TeV with ALICE. The Lambda and (Lambda)_bar hyperons are reconstructed at midrapidity using their two-body weak decay channel Lambda -> p + pi(-) and (Lambda)_bar -> (p )_bar + pi(+). The measured value of the Lambda lifetime is tau(Lambda) = [261.07 +/- 0.37(stat.) +/- 0.72o(syst)] ps. The relative difference between the lifetime of Lambda and (Lambda)_bar, which represents an important test of CPT invariance in the strangeness sector, is also measured. The obtained value (tau(Lambda) - tau((Lambda)_bar))/tau(Lambda) = (0.0013 +/- 0.0028(stat.) +/- 0.0021(syst.) is consistent with zero within the uncertainties. Both measurements of the. hyperon lifetime and of the relative difference between tau(Lambda) and tau((Lambda)_bar) are in agreement with the corresponding world averages of the Particle Data Group and about a factor of three more precise.