Double charmed meson production in $pp$ and $pA$ collisions at the LHC within the dipole approach in momentum representation

TL;DR

This paper investigates double charmed meson production in proton-proton and proton-nucleus collisions at the LHC using the dipole formalism in momentum space, providing predictions for cross sections and comparing with experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of the color dipole formalism in momentum space to double charm production, including predictions for proton-nucleus collisions.

Findings

Predictions match LHCb measurements for $D$-meson pairs.

Different unintegrated gluon distributions affect the results.

Provides cross section estimates for proton-nucleus collisions.

Abstract

A study of double charmed meson production in proton-proton and proton-nucleus collisions at the LHC energies is performed. Based on the color dipole formalism developed in the transverse momentum representation and the double parton scattering mechanism, predictions are made for the transverse momentum differential cross section for different pairs of $D$-mesons. The theoretical results consider the center-of-mass energy and forward rapidities associated to the measurements by the LHCb Collaboration. The results considering different unintegrated gluon distributions are presented and compared to data and predictions for proton-nucleus collisions are provided.