Coherent J/ψ production—A novel feature at LHC?

• Published in: Physics letters. B 2008-02, Vol.660 (3), p.176-180
• Main Authors: Arsene, I.C., Bravina, L., Kaidalov, A.B., Tywoniuk, K., Zabrodin, E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: [formula omitted] absorption in nuclear matter; Nuclear effects in hadron–nucleus collisions
• ISSN: 0370-2693; 1873-2445
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physletb.2007.12.055

Energy dependence of heavy quarkonia production in hadron–nucleus collisions is studied in the framework of the Glauber–Gribov theory. We emphasize a change in the space–time picture of heavy-quark state production on nuclei with energy. Longitudinally ordered scattering of a heavy-quark system takes place at low energies, while with increasing energy it transforms to a coherent scattering of projectile partons on the nuclear target. The characteristic energy scale for this transition depends on masses and rapidities of produced particles. For J/ψ, produced in the central rapidity region, the transition happens at RHIC energies. The parameter-free calculation of J/ψ in dAu collisions is in good agreement with recent RHIC data. We use distributions of gluons in nuclei to predict suppression of heavy quarkonia at LHC.