Speaker
Description
Charm production in proton-proton collisions can be described by perturbative QCD calculations down to low transverse momentum ($p_\mathrm{T} \sim 0$), due to the large mass of the charm quark ($m_c >> \Lambda_{QCD}$). The measurement of charm production is thus important to constrain theoretical predictions. In p-Pb collisions, the study of charm production can help disentangle cold nuclear matter effects from the modification of the $p_\mathrm{T}$ spectrum of charm in Pb-Pb collisions due to the high-temperature and high energy-density medium formed.
Hadronisation is a non-perturbative process, and as such experimental input is crucial to guide theoretical models. The charmed baryon-to-meson ratio ($\mathrm{\Lambda_{c}^+} / \mathrm{D^0}$) is sensitive to hadronisation mechanisms in pp and p-Pb collisions. Furthermore the measurement of heavier charmed baryons such as $\mathrm{\Xi_c^0}$ will help to quantify the hadronisation of c quarks to different hadron species. Measurements of charmed baryon production in pp and p-Pb collisions also provide a baseline for future measurements of charmed baryons in Pb-Pb collisions, where the baryon-to-meson ratios will offer a unique probe of thermalisation and hadronisation mechanisms, in particular constraining the role of coalescence and predicted presence of diquark states in the medium.
We present here recent open heavy-flavour results in pp and p-Pb collisions from the ALICE experiment. These include measurements of the D-meson production cross sections, nuclear modification factor in p-Pb collisions, and studies as a function of multiplicity. We also present new results from the ALICE experiment of the $p_\mathrm{T}$-differential cross section of the $\Lambda_{c}^+$ baryon in pp collisions, and in p-Pb collisions - the first heavy-ion measurement of a charmed baryon at the LHC. In addition, the $p_\mathrm{T}$-differential cross section times branching ratio of the $\mathrm{\Xi_c^0}$ baryon measured in the decay channel $\mathrm{\Xi_c^0 \to e\Xi^-\nu_e}$ in pp collisions will be presented - the first measurement of $\mathrm{\Xi_c^0}$ baryon production at the LHC.
| List of tracks | Heavy-flavour (open and hidden) |
|---|
