D and B-meson production using kt-factorization calculations in a variable-flavor-number scheme

TL;DR

This paper presents a $k_t$-factorization approach with a variable-flavor-number scheme to compute $B$ and $D$ meson production cross sections, comparing results with LHC data.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive formalism for meson production calculations including all relevant processes within a variable-flavor-number scheme.

Findings

Good agreement with ALICE and LHCb data at various rapidities.

Inclusion of $2 o 2$ processes is sufficient for accurate predictions.

The $2 o 1$ process is negligible at moderate transverse momentum.

Abstract

Within the framework of $k_t$-factorization, we compute the differential cross section for the production of $B$ and $D$ mesons, using a general-mass variable-flavor-number scheme. Our calculations include all relevant $2\to 2$ processes. We explain how to include the $2\to 1$ process in our calculations, but argue this is not (numerically) relevant at moderate transverse momentum due to its cancellation with the subtraction term. We apply this formalism to $pp$ collisions and compare our results with ALICE and LHCb data at central and forward rapidity.