Study of heavy-flavor decay muon production in proton–proton and heavy-ion collisions using the Angantyr model at LHC energies

Abstract

We study the production of heavy-flavor decay muons (HFM) in proton–proton ([Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text]) and heavy-ion ([Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text]) collisions using Angantyr model in PYTHIA8 at Large Hadron Collider (LHC) energies. These studies have been performed for three colliding systems: small ([Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text]), intermediate (Xe–Xe) and large (Pb–Pb). The works have been performed in [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] (with [Formula: see text] = 2.76, 5.02, 7.0 and 13[Formula: see text]TeV), Xe–Xe (with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]5.44[Formula: see text]TeV) and Pb–Pb (with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]2.76 and 5.02[Formula: see text]TeV) collision systems. The production of heavy-flavor (charm and bottom quarks) decay muons in [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] collisions is measured in the forward rapidity [Formula: see text]. The standard statistical uncertainty is computed for each case as [Formula: see text]. In the study of [Formula: see text]-distribution of HFM at forward rapidity ([Formula: see text]) using Angantyr model, we find that simulation results agree with ALICE data reasonably well for [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] collisions. The comparison of simulation results with ALICE data for [Formula: see text]-distribution at [Formula: see text] and 7.0[Formula: see text]TeV in [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] collision has also been illustrated. In addition to the particle spectra, a more quantitative model-to-data comparison can be obtained through the observable [Formula: see text]. We, thus, calculate [Formula: see text] of HFM in this work for [Formula: see text] and 5.02[Formula: see text]TeV. The simulated [Formula: see text] results overestimate the ALICE data. [Formula: see text] estimation as a function of [Formula: see text] shows almost constant values and close to unity at lower energy ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]2.76[Formula: see text]TeV), but substantially lower than unity at comparatively higher energy ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]5.02[Formula: see text]TeV). We also predict for the HFM [Formula: see text] spectrum and [Formula: see text]-distribution in O–O collision at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]6.37[Formula: see text]TeV for 0–10[Formula: see text] collision centrality. These simulated spectra are illustrated for ALICE Run3 experiment and they comply with other HFM ALICE measurements.