On the prompt contribution to the atmospheric neutrino flux

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the prompt contribution to atmospheric neutrino flux, focusing on theoretical uncertainties in charm production and the potential impact of intrinsic charm in the proton.

Contribution

It introduces a method to study uncertainties in charm production and discusses the role of intrinsic charm in the prompt neutrino flux.

Findings

Uncertainties in charm production can be studied at the charm quark level.

Intrinsic charm may significantly affect the prompt neutrino flux.

Perturbative and non-perturbative contributions are both important.

Abstract

The prompt contribution to the atmospheric neutrino flux is analyzed. It is demonstrated that the corresponding theoretical uncertainties related to perturbative treatment of charm production, notably, the ones stemming from the low and high $x$ behavior of parton distribution functions, can be conveniently studied at the level of charm quark production. Additionally, we discuss the non-perturbative contribution to the prompt neutrino flux, related to the intrinsic charm content of the proton, and analyze its main features.