Search for nuclear modifications of B$^+$ meson production in pPb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 8.16 TeV

TL;DR

This study investigates whether the production of B$^+$ mesons in proton-lead collisions at 8.16 TeV shows nuclear modifications by analyzing scaled cross section ratios across different event multiplicities, finding no significant deviations.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel approach using Z boson cross sections to determine scaling factors, providing new constraints on nuclear modifications of heavy flavor production.

Findings

Scaled ratio for B$^+$ is consistent with unity across multiplicities

Results impose stringent constraints on nuclear modification effects

Method enhances precision in heavy flavor nuclear modification studies

Abstract

Nuclear medium effects on B$^+$ meson production are studied using the binary-collision scaled cross section ratio between events of different charged-particle multiplicities from proton-lead collisions. Data, collected by the CMS experiment in 2016 at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 8.16 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 175 nb$^{-1}$, were used. The scaling factors in the ratio are determined using a novel approach based on the Z $\to$ $\mu^+\mu^-$ cross sections measured in the same events. The scaled ratio for B$^+$ is consistent with unity for all event multiplicities, putting stringent constraints on nuclear modification for heavy flavor.