Event-activity dependent production of strange and non-strange charmed baryons in the enhanced color-reconnection scheme

TL;DR

This paper explores how event activity influences the production of various charmed baryons in proton-proton collisions at LHC energies, highlighting the role of isospin and strangeness in charm enhancement mechanisms.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach using PYTHIA 8 with advanced color-reconnection to study charm baryon production and proposes experimental observables to distinguish enhancement sources.

Findings

Isospin significantly affects charm baryon enhancement patterns.

Event-activity classifiers can differentiate between strangeness and charm enhancement mechanisms.

Model predictions suggest measurable differences in baryon production based on isospin.

Abstract

We investigated the production of charmed baryons with different isospin and strangeness content, compared to both charmed $D^0$ mesons and to the $\Lambda_c^+$ baryon in proton--proton collisions at LHC energies. We used the PYTHIA 8 Monte Carlo event generator with color-reconnection beyond leading color approximation and proposed methods based on event-activity classifiers to probe the source of the charm baryon enhancement. We conclude that in the considered model class, the isospin of the charmed baryon state has a strong impact on the enhancement pattern. Using the observables we propose, upcoming high-precision experimental data will be able to differentiate between mechanisms of strangeness and charm enhancement.