Incoherent diffractive photoproduction of $J/\psi$ and $\Upsilon$ on heavy nuclei in the color dipole approach

TL;DR

This paper calculates incoherent diffractive production cross sections of $J/eta$ and $eta$ vector mesons on heavy nuclei using the color dipole model, comparing with experimental data and providing predictions.

Contribution

It derives a multiple scattering expansion for incoherent diffractive cross sections within the color dipole approach, extending previous coherent diffraction analyses.

Findings

Agreement with ALICE measurements at 2.76 TeV

Predictions for 5.02 TeV collision energy

Discussion of $J/eta$ production in peripheral collisions

Abstract

We calculate cross sections and transverse momentum distributions for the incoherent diffractive production of vector mesons $J/\psi$ and $\Upsilon$ on heavy nuclei. In distinction to coherent diffraction, the nucleus is allowed to break up, but except for the vector meson no new particles are produced in the reaction. Within the color dipole approach, we derive the multiple scattering expansion of the incoherent diffractive cross section as an expansion over quasielastic scatterings of the color dipole. We also compare our results to the measurement of the ALICE collaboration for incoherent $J/\psi$ production at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 \, \rm {TeV}$ and show predictions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02 \, \rm{TeV}$. We also briefly discuss a possible contribution to $J/\psi$ production in peripheral collisions in the $70 \div 90 \%$ centrality class.