Improved isolation of the p-p underlying event based on minimum-bias trigger-associated hadron correlations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new correlation analysis method to better understand jet structures and underlying event contributions in proton-proton collisions, with potential applications to heavy-ion collisions.

Contribution

It presents a novel minimum-bias trigger-associated correlation technique to isolate jet-related components in p-p collisions, improving understanding of hadron production mechanisms.

Findings

Extracted a hard component comparable to e-e collision jet fragments

Identified kinematic limits on jet fragment production

Method applicable to A-A collisions for studying minimum-bias jets

Abstract

Some aspects of hadron production in p-p collisions remain unresolved, including the low-hadron-momentum structure of high-parton-energy dijets, separation of triggered dijets from the underlying event (UE), the systematics of multiple parton interactions and possible systematic underestimation of dijet contributions to high-energy nuclear collisions. In this study we apply a minimum-bias trigger-associated (TA) correlation analysis to p-p collisions. We extract a hard component from TA correlations that can be compared with measured jet fragment systematics derived from e-e collisions. The kinematic limits on jet fragment production may be determined. The same method may be extended to A-A collisions where the role of minimum-bias jets in spectra and correlations is strongly contested.