Production of exotic hadrons at hadron colliders

TL;DR

This paper examines the production of exotic hadrons like X(3872) at hadron colliders, providing evidence against a molecular structure based on production rates and simulation comparisons.

Contribution

It offers new insights into the nature of X(3872), challenging the molecular interpretation through production data and Monte Carlo simulations.

Findings

Large prompt production cross-section disfavors molecular interpretation.

Monte Carlo simulations support the findings.

Comparison with light nuclei data reinforces conclusions.

Abstract

The observation of many unexpected states decaying into heavy quarkonia has challenged the usual QQbar interpretation. One of the most studied exotic states, the X(3872), happens to be copiously produced in high-energy hadron collisions. We discuss how this large prompt production cross-section disfavors a loosely-bound molecule interpretation for this particle. This is supported by Monte Carlo simulations, and by a comparison with extrapolated light nuclei data by ALICE.