Drag induced radiative energy loss of semi-hard heavy quarks

TL;DR

This paper investigates the energy loss mechanisms of semi-hard heavy quarks in nuclear matter, highlighting the significance of the drag parameter $\hat e$ in gluon radiation and energy dissipation.

Contribution

It introduces the sensitivity of gluon emission spectra to the drag parameter $\hat e$, adding a new perspective to heavy quark energy loss models.

Findings

Gluon emission spectrum depends on both $\hat q$ and $\hat e$.

An additional energy loss term for heavy quarks is identified.

Heavy flavor suppression data can estimate the non-perturbative parameter $\hat e$.

Abstract

We revisited gluon bremsstrahlung off a heavy quark in nuclear matter within higher twist formalism. In this work, we demonstrate that, in addition to transverse momentum diffusion parameter ($\hat q$), the gluon emission spectrum for a heavy quark is quite sensitive to $\hat e$, which quantify the amount of light-cone drag experienced by a parton. This effect leads to an additional energy loss term for heavy-quarks. From heavy flavor suppression data in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions one can now estimate the value of this sub-leading non-perturbative jet transport parameter ($\hat e$) from our results.