$\eta_c$ production in photon - induced interactions at the LHC

TL;DR

This paper studies $ta_c$ meson production via photon-induced interactions in proton-proton and proton-nucleus collisions at the LHC, providing predictions for distributions and cross sections, and exploring the Odderon probe.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of $ta_c$ photoproduction at the LHC using NRQCD, including inclusive, diffractive, and exclusive processes, with new predictions for distributions and cross sections.

Findings

Predicted rapidity and transverse momentum distributions for $ta_c$ production.

Estimated total cross sections at LHC Run 2 energies.

Compared inclusive, diffractive, and exclusive photoproduction channels.

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the $\eta_c$ production by photon - photon and photon - hadron interactions in $pp$ and $pA$ collisions at the LHC energies. The inclusive and diffractive contributions for the $\eta_c$ photoproduction are estimated using the nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics (NRQCD) formalism. We estimate the rapidity and transverse momentum distributions for the $\eta_c$ photoproduction in hadronic collisions at the LHC and present our estimate for the total cross sections at the Run 2 energies. A comparison with the predictions for the exclusive $\eta_c$ photoproduction, which is a direct probe of the Odderon, also is presented.