The ALICE high momentum particle identification system: An overview after the first Large Hadron Collider run

The ALICE High Momentum Particle Identification RICH detector (HMPID) was installed, with its 10 m2 of Cesium Iodide (CsI) photo-cathodes, in the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in 2006. Since then, it has been thoroughly commissioned, together with its auxiliary systems, with cosmic rays and particles from beam dump/splash events recorded during various LHC injection tests in 2008 and 2009. Finally, the HMPID has successfully detected particles produced by the first proton-proton collisions at LHC in winter 2009. The present paper reviews the experience gained during the commissioning phase and summarizes the present status of the detector. Preliminary results concerning the detector performance are also reported.