Inclusive heavy quark photoproduction in $pp$, $pPb$ and $PbPb$ collisions at Run 2 LHC energies

TL;DR

This paper analyzes inclusive heavy quark photoproduction in various collision types at LHC energies using the Color Dipole formalism, providing new predictions for transverse momentum distributions of $D$ and $B$ mesons.

Contribution

It introduces novel predictions for transverse momentum distributions in heavy quark photoproduction at LHC energies using updated phenomenological models.

Findings

Predicted rapidity distributions and total cross sections for charm and bottom production.

First-time predictions for transverse momentum distributions of $D$ and $B$ mesons.

Models successfully describe HERA data and extend to LHC collision environments.

Abstract

In this paper we present a comprehensive analysis of the inclusive heavy quark photoproduction in $pp$, $pPb$ and $PbPb$ collisions at Run 2 LHC energies using the Color Dipole formalism. The rapidity distributions and total cross sections for the charm and bottom production are estimated considering the more recent phenomenological models for the dipole - proton scattering amplitude, which are based on the Color Glass Condensate formalism and are able to describe the inclusive and exclusive $ep$ HERA data. Moreover, we present, by the first time, the predictions for the transverse momentum distributions of the $D$ and $B$ mesons produced in the photon -- induced interactions.