Lindblad-driven recombination of the X(3872) tetraquark

TL;DR

This paper develops a Lindblad equation-based coalescence model to study the production of the X(3872) tetraquark in heavy-ion collisions, predicting significant yield enhancement if it is a compact tetraquark.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theoretical framework using the Lindblad equation to model tetraquark production in quark-gluon plasma, providing predictions for experimental observables.

Findings

Recombination dominates X(3872) production in heavy-ion collisions.

Predicted nuclear modification factor shows significant enhancement.

Model suggests yield is sensitive to the tetraquark's internal structure.

Abstract

The internal structure of the exotic meson X(3872) remains an open question. We investigate its production in heavy-ion collisions under the hypothesis that it is a compact tetraquark. To this end, we derive a coalescence model from the Lindblad equation, assuming that unbound heavy quarks are thermalized within the quark-gluon plasma and that the adiabatic approximation holds. Using this model, we predict the nuclear modification factor of the X(3872) at LHC energies, with proton-proton baseline cross sections estimated from available experimental data. We also consider the effect of simplifying assumptions on the model, and a complementary approach based on chemical equilibration. Our results indicate that recombination is the dominant production mechanism for a tetraquark X(3872). It leads to a significant yield enhancement in heavy-ion collisions, suggesting that the nuclear modification factor is a powerful observable for probing the exotic nature of this state