Jet modifications from colour rope formation in dense systems of non-parallel strings

TL;DR

This paper improves a string fragmentation model to better understand how dense systems of overlapping, non-parallel strings influence particle production, especially in high-multiplicity proton-proton collisions at the LHC.

Contribution

The authors introduce an enhanced space-time framework for string overlap, allowing consistent analysis of jet modifications and underlying event effects in dense, non-parallel string systems.

Findings

Enhanced string tension explains particle yield increases.

Model successfully describes strangeness and baryon enhancement.

Improved overlap picture captures effects in both jets and underlying events.

Abstract

We revisit our rope model for string fragmentation that has been shown to give a reasonable description of strangeness and baryon enhancement in high-multiplicity pp events at the LHC. A key feature of the model is that the enhancement is driven by the increased string tension due to strings overlapping in dense systems. By introducing an improved space-time picture for the overlap between fragmenting strings, where also non-parallel strings are properly taken into account, we are now able to investigate the enhancement both in jets and in the underlying event in a consistent way.