First Proton-Proton Physics with the ALICE detector

This paper describes the status and plans of first measuremen ts in p+p collisions with ALICE. The first part introduces the ALICE experiment with a focus on the subdetectors that are to be used for first physics. The characteristic features of ALICE, its very low-momentum cut-off, the low material budget and the excellent PID and vertexing capabil ities, that make ALICE an important contributor to LHC physics in the realm of soft QCD, are descr ibed. Subsequently, a selection of measurements that are accessible with data taken in a few d ays to 1–2 weeks are discussed: the pseudorapidity density dN ch / d η , the multiplicity distribution and the transverse momentu m distribution dN ch / d p T of charged particles