Measurement of the multiplicity dependence of charm production in proton--proton collisions at \sqrt{s}=7 TeV with the ALICE experiment at the CERN-LHC

TL;DR

This paper reports on the measurement of how charm meson production varies with event multiplicity in proton-proton collisions at 7 TeV, providing insights into the underlying production mechanisms at the LHC.

Contribution

It presents the first measurement of D-meson yields as a function of multiplicity in pp collisions at 7 TeV, offering new data to understand charm production processes.

Findings

D-meson yields increase with multiplicity

Comparison with J/psi production shows similar trends

Results help disentangle charm production mechanisms

Abstract

Potential of the charm quark as a probe to study the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) is best harnessed when its production mechanisms are disentangled from its propagation through the QGP. Proton-proton (pp) collisions help us to study charmed hadron production mechanisms. The measurement of D-meson yields in pp collisions as a function of the multiplicity of produced particles allows one to gain some insight into the processes occurring in the collision at a microscopic level. Here, the preliminary results are presented from this measurement at \sqrt{s} = 7 TeV. The analysis strategy, the applied corrections, and the determination of the systematic uncertainties are described. The preliminary results are presented and compared with those from a similar, published, measurement of J/\psi production.