Searching for intrinsic charm in the proton at the LHC

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of the LHC to detect intrinsic charm in the proton by analyzing specific processes like photon plus heavy quark jet production, which are sensitive to the proton's internal heavy quark content.

Contribution

It identifies promising LHC processes, such as gamma plus heavy quark production, for probing the intrinsic charm component in the proton's structure.

Findings

Intrinsic charm contribution could be detected at the LHC.

Photon plus heavy quark production is highly sensitive to intrinsic charm.

Theoretical analysis supports targeted experimental searches.

Abstract

Despite rather long-term theoretical and experimental studies, the hypothesis of the non-zero intrinsic (or valence-like) heavy quark component of the proton distribution functions has not yet been confirmed or rejected. The LHC with $pp$-collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$ 7--14 TeV will obviously supply extra unique information concerning the above-mentioned component of the proton. To use the LHC potential, first of all, one should select the parton-level (sub)processes (and final-state signatures) that are most sensitive to the intrinsic heavy quark contributions. To this end inclusive production of $c(b)$-jets accompanied by photons is considered. On the basis of the performed theoretical study it is demonstrated that the investigation of the intrinsic heavy quark contributions looks very promising at the LHC in processes such as $pp\rightarrow \gamma+ c(b)+X$.