Measurements of the heavy-flavour nuclear modification factor in p–Pb collisions at sNN=5.02 TeV with ALICE at the LHC

Abstract

The heavy-flavour nuclear modification factor R pPb has been measured with the ALICE detector in p–Pb collisions at the nucleon–nucleon center of mass energy s NN = 5.02 TeV at the CERN LHC in a wide rapidity and transverse momentum range, as well as in several decay channels. R pPb is consistent with unity within uncertainties at mid-rapidity and forward rapidity. In the backward region a slight enhancement of the yield of heavy-flavour decay muons is found in the region 2 < p T < 4 GeV / c . The results are described within uncertainties by theoretical calculations that include initial-state effects. The measurements add experimental evidence that the suppression of heavy-flavour production observed at high p T in central Pb–Pb collisions with respect to pp collisions is due to a medium effect induced by the interaction of heavy quarks with the partonic matter.