Charmonium production in proton-proton collisions and in collisions of lead nuclei at CERN and comparison with Brookhaven data

A review of experimental data on charmoniumproduction that were obtained in fixed-target experiments at the SPS synchrotron and in proton-proton collisions and in collisions of lead nuclei in beams of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN (Switzerland) is presented. A comparison with data obtained at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (USA) from experiments at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) is performed. Measurement of the suppression of J/ψ-meson production as a possible signal of the production of quark-gluon plasmawas proposed back in 1986 by T. Matsui and H. Satz. An anomalous suppression of J/ψ-meson production was discovered by the NA50 Collaboration at SPS (CERN) in central collisions of lead nuclei at the c.m. collision energy of 158 GeV per nucleon. Data obtained at the c.m. energy of 200 GeV per nucleon in the PHENIX experiment at RHIC indicate that, depending on multiplicity, the suppression of J/ψ-meson production at this energy approximately corresponds to the suppression of J/ψ-meson production in collisions of lead nuclei at the SPS accelerator. Theoretical models that take into account the regeneration of J/ψ mesons describe better RHIC experimental data. The measurement of charmonium production in proton-proton collisions and in collisions of lead nuclei in LHC beams revealed the importance of taking into account the regeneration process. At the LHC energies, it is also necessary to take into account the contribution of B-meson decays. Future measurements of charmonium production at the LHC to a higher statistical precision and over an extended energy region would be of importance for obtaining deeper insight into the mechanism of charmonium production and for studying the properties of matter at high energy density and temperature.     

How dense does parton matter get in Pb + Pb collisions at the CERN SPS?

We examine the qualitative features of parton production through materialization in heavy-ion collisions within perturbative QCD, and estimate the magnitude of the resulting parton density created during the early stage of the collisions. The implications for “anomalous”J/? suppression observed in Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN SPS are discussed. We argue that theA-dependence of absorption ofJ/? by (partonic) comovers is steeper than assumed in most phenomenological models, because the absorption process is dominated by quasi-perturbative QCD interactions. Our argument is supported by results recently obtained in the framework of the parton cascade model. We predict significant “anomalous” suppression for Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN-SPS, but not for S+U collisions.     

Charmonium-state production in heavy-ion collisions

An overview of existing experimental data on the production of charmonium states (J/ψ and ψ′) at the superproton synchrotron (SPS, CERN) and the relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC, Brookhaven National Laboratory, United States) is given. The production of J/ψ mesons shows an anomalous suppression discovered by the NA50 Collaboration (CERN) in collisions of lead nuclei at an energy of 158 GeV per nucleon and confirmed in the NA60 experiment (CERN) in collisions of indium nuclei at the same energy. The suppression of J/ψ production depends on interaction centrality and becomes anomalous at about 122 participant nucleons in PbPb collisions and at about 86 participant nucleons in InIn collisions. The experimental data in question are compared with the predictions of existing theoretical models. None of the models is able to simultaneously describe data on PbPb and InIn collisions. Data obtained in the PHENIX experiment at RHIC from measurements of J/ψ production in AuAu and CuCu collisions at an energy of 200 GeV (in the nucleon-nucleon c.m. frame) indicate that the suppression of J/ψ production at such energies approximately corresponds to the suppression of J/ψ production in PbPb collisions at SPS. Theoretical models that describe SPS data on PbPb collisions predict a stronger suppression of J/ψ production. Models that take into account J/ψ-meson regeneration better describe experimental data obtained at RHIC. Measurement of cross sections for charmonium and bottomonium production at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC, CERN) would make it possible to study the properties of matter and to explore the mechanism of quarkonium production at ultrahigh energy densities and temperature and high transverse momenta, as well as to investigate the effect of the regeneration and suppression of quarkonium production as the energy increases.     

Dissociation of expanding cc̄ states in heavy ion collisions

We study J/ψ suppression in AB collisions assuming that the charmonium states evolve from small, color transparent configurations. Their interaction with nucleons and nonequilibrated, secondary hadrons is simulated using the microscopic model UrQMD. The Drell-Yan lepton pair yield and the J/ψ/Drell-Yan ratio are calculated as a function of the neutral transverse energy in Pb+Pb collisions at 160 GeV and found to be in reasonable agreement with existing data.     

Near-threshold <Emphasis Type="Italic">J</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">ψ</Emphasis>-meson photoproduction on nuclei

On the basis of the first-collision model that relies on the nuclear spectral function and which includes incoherent processes involving charmonium production in proton–nucleon collisions, the photoproduction of J/ψ mesons on nuclei is considered at energies close to the threshold for their production on a nucleon. The absorption of final J/ψ mesons, their formation length, and the binding and Fermi motion of target nucleons are taken into account in this model along with the effect of the nuclear potential on these processes. The A dependences of the absolute and relative charmonium yields are calculated together with absolute and relative excitation functions under various assumptions on the magnitude of the cross section for J/ψN absorption, the J/ψ-meson formation length, and their inmedium modification. It is shown that, at energies above the threshold, these features are virtually independent of the formation length and the change in the J/ψ-meson mass in nuclear matter but are rather highly sensitive to the cross section for J/ψN interaction. The calculations performed in the present study can be used to determine the unknown cross section for J/ψ-meson absorption in nuclei from a comparison of their results with data expected from experiments in the Hall C of the CEBAF (USA) facility upgraded to the energy of 12 GeV. It is also shown that the absolute and relative excitation functions for J/ψ mesons in photon–nucleus reactions at subthreshold energies are sensitive to the change in the meson mass and, hence, carry information about the properties of charmonium in nuclear matter.     

Charmonium suppression by gluon bremsstrahlung in p-A and A-B collisions

Prompt gluons are an additional source for charmonium suppression in nuclear collisions, in particular for nucleus-nucleus collisions. These gluons are radiated as bremsstrahlung in N-N collisions and interact inelastically with the charmonium states while the nuclei still overlap. The spectra and mean number <n _g> of the prompt gluons are calculated perturbatively and the inelastic cross section σ_abs ^Ψg is estimated. The integrated cross sections σ(A B →J/ψX) for p-A and A-B collisions and the dependence on transverse energy for S-U and Pb-Pb can be described quantitatively with some adjustment of one parameter <n _g>σ_abs ^Ψg. Received: 20 August 1999     

LHC capabilities for quarkonium

The measurement of the charmonium and bottomonium resonances in nucleus-nucleus collisions provides crucial information on high-density QCD matter. First, the suppression of quarkonia production is generally agreed to be one of the most direct probes of quark-gluon plasma formation. The observation of anomalous J/ψ suppression at the CERN-SPS and at RHIC is well established but the clarification of some important remaining questions requires equivalent studies of the ϒ family, will be possible at the LHC. Second, the production of heavy-quarks proceeds mainly via gluon-gluon fusion processes and, as such, is sensitive to saturation of the gluon density at low-x in the nucleus. Measured departures from the expected vacuum quarkonia cross-sections in Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC will thus provide valuable information not only on the thermodynamical state of the produced partonic medium, but also on the initial-state modifications of the nuclear parton distribution functions. The capabilities of the LHC detectors (ALICE, ATLAS and CMS) to study quarkonia production in Pb+Pb collisions at 5.5 TeV per nucleon pair are discussed.     

Charmonium production in fixed-target experiments with SPS and LHC beams at CERN

The possibility of measuring cross sections for the production of J/ψ mesons in fixed-target experiments with the proton and ion beams of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN (Switzerland) is considered. At the present time, measurements of charmonium production in proton-proton collisions at an energy of 7 TeV have begun at LHC. Previously, the production of J/ψ and ψ′ mesons was studied in the NA38, NA50, and NA60 fixed-target experiments with beams of the CERN synchrotron (SPS) and in the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA). A normal nuclear absorption of J/ψ mesons in proton-nucleus collisions and an enhanced, anomalous, suppression of the production of charmonium states in central collisions of relativistic nuclei were observed. At the present time, there are no theoretical models that could describe the entire body of experimental data. Measurements over a broad interval of proton and ion energies are required. Measurements of charmonium production using LHC beams with fixed targets in the energy range between the SPS and RHIC energies-a beam of 7-TeV protons (√s = 114.6 GeV) and a beam of 2.75-TeV/nucleon lead ions (√s = 71.8 GeV)-will provide an additional possibility for studying the charmonium-production mechanism. Estimates of the geometric acceptance, luminosity, and counting rate for the production of J/ψ mesons are presented.     

What do we really know about cold nuclear matter effects?

The measurement of charmonium suppression in relativistic heavy ion collisions is posited to be an unambiguous probe of the properties of the strongly interacting quark gluon plasma (sQGP). In hot and dense QCD matter Debye color screening prevents charm and anti-charm quark pairs from forming J/ψ mesons if the screening radius is smaller than the binding radius. However, one must have a clear understanding of the expected suppression in normal density QCD matter before interpreting any additional anomalous suppression. The PHENIX experiment has measured J/ψ production from colliding proton + proton and deuteron + gold beams at 200 GeV from the relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC). The deuteron + gold data can be compared to the proton + proton baseline in order to establish the typical suppression in cold nuclear matter (CNM). For PHENIX, a suppression of J/ψ in cold nuclear matter is observed as one goes forward in rapidity (in the deuteron-going direction), corresponding to a region more sensitive to initial state low-x gluons in the gold nucleus. These results can be convoluted with the nuclear-environment-modified parton distribution functions, extracted from deep inelastic scattering (DIS) and Drell-Yan (DY) data, in order to estimate the J/ψ break up cross section in cold nuclear matter. One can also use a data driven method that does not rely on the assumption of the production mechanism, or PDF parameterization, to extrapolate to the heavy ion collision case. At this time both the predictions for CNM effect suppression in heavy ion collisions are somewhat ambiguous. Future results using the data acquired by the PHENIX experiment in run-6 (p + p) and run-8 (d + Au) will be vital for our understanding. These data, which are in the process of being analyzed, will provide a needed improvement in the statistical and systematic precision of constraints for CNM effects. These constraints must be improved in order to make firm conclusions concerning additional hot nuclear matter charmonium suppression in the sQGP.     

Quarkonia production at forward rapidity in Pb+Pb collisions at {\sqrt{{s}_{\rm NN}}=2.76} TeV with the ALICE detector

The study of formation of heavy quarkonia in relativistic heavy-ion collisions provides important insight into the properties of the produced high-density QCD medium. Lattice QCD studies show sequential suppression of quarkonia states with increasing temperature; which affirms that a full spectroscopy can provide us a thermometer for the matter produced under extreme conditions in relativistic heavy-ion collisions and one of the most direct probes of deconfinement. Muons from the decay of charmonium resonances are detected in ALICE experiment in p?+?p and Pb+Pb collisions with a muon spectrometer, covering the forward rapidity region (2.5?<?y?<?4). The analysis of the inclusive J/?? production in the first Pb+Pb data collected in the fall of 2010 at a centre of mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ ?TeV is discussed. Preliminary results on the nuclear modification factor (R _AA) and the central to peripheral nuclear modification factor (R _CP) are presented.     

Observation of a threshold effect in the anomalous J/ψ suppression

We report on a search for a phase transition from ordinary nuclear matter to a state of deconfined quarks and gluons as predicted by lattice QCD calculations. A new measurement of charmonium production in Pb-Pb interactions at 158 GeV/c per nucleon agrees with our previous results and confirms the anomalous J/ψ suppression we had already observed on a significantly smaller data sample. New event selection and analysis techniques show that, for peripheral collisions, the J/ψ cross-section per nucleon-nucleon collision agrees with the precise suppression pattern inferred from a wide range of measurements extending from p-p up to S-U collisions. As the collisions become more central, the Pb-Pb cross-section exhibits a clear departure from this normal behaviour. The onset of the anomalous J/ψ suppression reported here is the first clear observation of a threshold effect in heavy ion collisions and can be considered as a strong indication of the production of a deconfined quark-gluon phase in central Pb-Pb collisions.     

Charmonium production in Pb−Pb collisions at 158 <Emphasis Type="Italic">A</Emphasis> GeV

The NA50 experiment at CERN SPS studies charmonia and Drell-Yan production in the μ⁺ μ^? decay channel at 158A GeV. The data collected in Pb?Pb collisions during 1995, 1996 and 1998 run periods show that the J/ψ is anomalously suppressed in central collisions. This observed suppression pattern can be considered as a strong indication of the production of Quark-Gluon Plasma.     

高能重离子碰撞中的J/ψ反常抑制现象

对NA50合作组给出的入射动量为158A GeV/c的Pb-Pb碰撞中的J/ψ反常抑制现象进行了分析.在J/ψ的核与随动者吸收理论基础上，假设了QGP相变在对心Pb-Pb碰撞中的产生及QGP环境对J/ψ粒子100%的吸收效应，从而改进了高能重离子碰撞中的J/ψ微分产生截面，理论较好地解释了实验结果. 关键词： J/ψ反常抑制')" href="#">J/ψ反常抑制 核吸收 随动者 夸克-胶子等离子体     

J/Ψ suppression in relativistic heavy ion collisions through final state interactions with excited nucleons

TheJ/Ψ suppression in relativistic heavy ion collisions through final state interactions with excited state nucleons is estimated in a manner analogous to that of Gerschel and Hüfner for ground state nucleons. If excited state nucleons are larger in size than nucleons in their ground state, theJ/Ψ absorption cross section is increased. Because of relativistic time dilation this effect does not significantly alter theJ/Ψ suppression previously found.     

χ andJ/ψ suppression in heavy ion collisions and a model for its momentum dependence

The suppression ofJ/ψ resonance production recently observed in heavy ion collisions contains some information also on the suppression of χ states which are known to be the source of a sizeable fraction of the observedJ/ψ. We analyze recent experimental data within a model that assumes quarkgluon plasma formation in a finite volume for a short time. We extract lifetimes for critical isotherms and obtain a value for the ratio of the Debye screening masses for χ andJ/ψ in the plasma consistent with estimates from lattice QCD. We also make some detailed predictions of the ψ′ suppression pattern and speculate about the extrapolation of the present oxygen results to heavier nuclei.     

Non-QGP mechanisms for J/ψ suppression in h-A and A-A processes

The data of charmonium/bottonium suppressions in p-A collisions are analyzed by considering the shadowing effect of the gluon structure function at small x, the absorption in the target nuclei and the energy degradation of the produced $c\bar c$ pairs. The A-andx ₂-dependences of the suppression in p-A collisions are well described based on above physical considerations. The J/ψ suppression data in A-A collisions are also analyzed based on these mechanisms.     

J/ψ production and absorption in high energy proton-nucleus collisions

Measured J/ψ production cross sections for 200 and 450 GeV/c protons incident on a variety of nuclear targets are analyzed within a Glauber framework which takes into account energy loss of the beam proton, the time delay of particle production due to quantum coherence, and absorption of the J/ψ on nucleons. The best representation is obtained for a coherence time of 0.5 fm/c, previously determined by Drell–Yan production in proton-nucleus collisions, and an absorption cross section of 3.6 mb, which is consistent with the value deduced from photoproduction of the J/ψ on nuclear targets.     

Nuclear effects in J/ψ suppression

We compute the effect on the J/ψ production in nucleus-nucleus coollisions of the absorption of the J/ψ inside the colliding nuclei. Using a value of the absorptive J/ψ-nucleon cross section which reproduces the A-dependence of the J/ψ cross section in hadron-nucleus collisions, we obtain much less suppression than that measured by the NA38 Collaboration. The effect due to a strongly absorbed (A^0.7) component is also discussed. In order to explain the NA38 results one needs a very large contribution (50%) of the latter component.