Heavy Quark Energy Loss in High Multiplicity Proton Proton Collisions at LHC

TL;DR

This paper investigates the energy loss of heavy quarks in high multiplicity proton-proton collisions at LHC energies, exploring potential medium effects similar to those observed in larger nuclear collisions.

Contribution

It presents the first study of heavy quark energy loss in high multiplicity p+p collisions at LHC, suggesting possible medium interactions in smaller systems.

Findings

Heavy quarks show suppression in high multiplicity p+p collisions.

Potential formation of a medium affecting heavy quark propagation.

Comparison with larger collision systems indicates similar multiplicity effects.

Abstract

One of the most promising probes to study deconfined matter created in high energy nuclear collisions is the energy loss of (heavy) quarks. It has been shown in experiments at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) that even charm and bottom quarks, despite their high mass, experience a remarkable medium suppression in the Quark Gluon Plasma. In this exploratory investigation we study the energy loss of heavy quarks in high multiplicity proton-proton collisions at LHC energies. Although the colliding systems are smaller than compared to those at RHIC (p+p vs. Au+Au) the higher energy might lead to multiplicities comparable to Cu+Cu collisions at RHIC. Recently the CMS collaboration has shown that these particles likely interact among each other. The interaction of charm quarks with this environment gives rise to a non-negligible suppression of high momentum heavy quarks in elementary collisions.