Impact of intrinsic charm amount in the nucleon and saturation effects on the prompt atmospheric $\nu_{\mu}$ flux for IceCube

TL;DR

This paper investigates how intrinsic charm in protons and saturation effects influence high-energy atmospheric neutrino flux predictions, comparing results with IceCube data to understand their impact on prompt neutrino production.

Contribution

It introduces a combined analysis of intrinsic charm and saturation effects on prompt neutrino flux predictions, incorporating new cross section estimates and comparing with IceCube observations.

Findings

Intrinsic charm significantly affects prompt neutrino flux predictions.

Saturation effects modify charm production at high energies.

Results show compatibility with IceCube data under certain intrinsic charm probabilities.

Abstract

The predictions for the atmospheric neutrino flux at high energies strongly depend on the contribution of prompt neutrinos, which are determined by the production of charmed meson in the atmosphere at very forward rapidities. In this paper we estimate the related cross sections taking into account the presence of an intrinsic charm (IC) component in the proton wave function and the QCD dynamics modified by the onset of saturation effects. The impact on the predictions for the prompt neutrino flux is investigated assuming different values for the probability to find the IC in the nucleon. Comparison with the IceCube data is performed and conclusions are drawn.