Observation of the B$_\mathrm{c}^+$ meson in PbPb and pp collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The CMS collaboration Tumasyan, Armen ; Adam, Wolfgang ; Andrejkovic, Janik Walter ; et al.
Phys.Rev.Lett. 128 (2022) 252301, 2022.
Inspire Record 2006858 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.111309

The $B_\mathrm{c}^+$ meson is observed for the first time in heavy ion collisions. Data from the CMS detector are used to study the production of the $B_\mathrm{c}^+$ meson in lead-lead (PbPb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} =$ 5.02 TeV, via the $B_\mathrm{c}^+ \to (J/\psi\to\mu^+\mu^-)\mu^+\nu_\mu$ decay. The $B_\mathrm{c}^+$ nuclear modification factor, derived from the PbPb-to-pp ratio of production cross sections, is measured in two bins of the trimuon transverse momentum and of the PbPb collision centrality. The B$_\mathrm{c}^+$ meson is shown to be less suppressed than quarkonia and most of the open heavy-flavor mesons, suggesting that effects of the hot and dense nuclear matter created in heavy ion collisions contribute to its production. This measurement sets forth a promising new probe of the interplay of suppression and enhancement mechanisms in the production of heavy-flavor mesons in the quark-gluon plasma.

3 data tables

The $B_c$ meson production (pp-equivalent) cross-section times branching fraction of the $B_c\rightarrow (J/\psi \rightarrow \mu\mu) \mu \nu_{\mu}$ decay in pp and PbPb collisions. The used kinematic variables correspond to those of the trimuon final state. The two $p_T$ bins correspond to different rapidity ranges. The total uncertainty is decomposed in an uncertainty from the fit and one representing all other sources. The markers of the $p_T^{\mu\mu\mu}$ bins are placed according to the Lafferty-Wyatt prescription.

The $B_c$ meson nuclear modification factor in PbPb collisions, in $p_T^{\mu\mu\mu}$ bins corresponding to different trimuon rapidity ranges. The total uncertainty is decomposed in a bin-to-bin-uncorrelated uncertainty and one fully correlated along the two bins. The markers of the $p_T^{\mu\mu\mu}$ bins are placed at the average of the Lafferty-Wyatt prescriptions applied to the pp and PbPb spectra.

The $B_c$ meson nuclear modification factor in PbPb collisions, in centrality bins, integrated over the studied kinematic range. The cut on the trimuon rapidity depends on the trimuon $p_T$. The total uncertainty is decomposed in a bin-to-bin-uncorrelated uncertainty and one fully correlated along the two bins. The centrality bin markers are placed at the minimum bias average number of participants $N_{part}$.


Study of $J/\psi$ production and cold nuclear matter effects in $p$Pb collisions

The LHCb collaboration Aaij, R ; Adeva, B ; Adinolfi, M ; et al.
JHEP 02 (2014) 072, 2014.
Inspire Record 1251899 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.64876

The production of $J/\psi$ mesons with rapidity $1.5<y<4.0$ or $-5.0<y<-2.5$ and transverse momentum $p_\mathrm{T}<14 \mathrm{GeV}/c$ is studied with the LHCb detector in proton-lead collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=5 \mathrm{TeV}$. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about $1.6 \mathrm{nb}^{-1}$. For the first time the nuclear modification factor and forward-backward production ratio are determined separately for prompt $J/\psi$ mesons and $J/\psi$ from $b$-hadron decays. Clear suppression of prompt $J/\psi$ production with respect to proton-proton collisions at large rapidity is observed, while the production of $J/\psi$ from $b$-hadron decays is less suppressed. These results show good agreement with available theoretical predictions. The measurement shows that cold nuclear matter effects are important for interpretations of the related quark-gluon plasma signatures in heavy-ion collisions.

9 data tables

Single differential production cross sections of prompt J/PSI mesons and of J/PSI from B decay as a function of transverse momentum in the FORWARD region. The errors shown are statistical and the uncorrelated and correlated components of the systematic uncertainties.

Single differential production cross sections of prompt J/PSI mesons and of J/PSI from B decay as a function of transverse momentum in the BACKWARD region. The errors shown are statistical and the uncorrelated and correlated components of the systematic uncertainties.

Single differential production cross sections of prompt J/PSI mesons and of J/PSI from B decay as a function of rapidity in the FORWARD region. The errors shown are statistical and the uncorrelated and correlated components of the systematic uncertainties.

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