Charm Quark Research Articles

Large-PT inclusive photoproduction of J/ψ in electron-proton collisions at HERA and the EIC

We study the inclusive J/ψ production at large transverse momenta at lepton-hadron colliders in the limit when the exchange photon is quasi real, also referred to as photoproduction. Our computation includes the leading-PT leading-v next-to-leading αs corrections. In particular, we consider the contribution from J/ψ plus another charm quark, by employing for the first time in quarkonium photoproduction the variable-flavour-number scheme. We also include a QED-induced contribution via an off-shell photon which remained ignored in the literature and which we show to be the leading contribution at high PT within the reach of the EIC. In turn, we use our computation of J/ψ+charm to demonstrate its observability at the future EIC and the EIC sensitivity to probe the non-perturbative charm content of the proton at high x.

Measurement of D-meson production and flow in Pb–Pb collisions with ALICE at the LHC

Open-charmed mesons are unique tools to study the properties of the Quark–Gluon Plasma (QGP) formed in ultra-relativistic nucleus–nucleus collisions. The nuclear modification factor ([Formula: see text]) and elliptic flow ([Formula: see text]) of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] mesons were measured by the ALICE Collaboration in Pb–Pb collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]TeV. The D-meson [Formula: see text] provides information on the charm-quark interactions with the medium and the charm-quark energy loss. The D-meson elliptic flow at low transverse momentum ([Formula: see text]) gives insight into the participation of charm quarks in the collective expansion of the system and their possible in-medium thermalization. At high [Formula: see text], the [Formula: see text] is sensitive to the path-length dependence of parton energy loss. The role of the recombination mechanism is investigated measuring the [Formula: see text]-differential yield ratios between D-meson species with and without strange-quark content. Finally, the coupling of charm quarks to light quarks of the underlying medium is examined applying the Event-Shape Engineering (ESE) technique to the nonstrange D-meson elliptic flow.

Strong-Phase Measurement in Charmed-Hadron Decays in Belle II Experiment and $${c{-}}{\tau}$$ Factory

A method of employing semileptonic $$K^{0}$$ -meson decays is proposed. Combined with a time-dependent analysis of decay parameters of initially produced combination, it permits extracting $$K^{0}{-}\bar{K}^{0}$$ . These measurements could be applied to heavy-flavor physics problems—in particular, charm physics. A feasibility study for the strong-phase difference in charm decays is performed.

Near-threshold photoproduction of J/psi in two-gluon exchange model

The near-threshold photoproduction of J/psi is regarded as one golden process to unveil the nucleon mass structure, pentaquark state involving the charm quarks, and the poorly constrained gluon distribution of the nucleon at large x (>0.1). In this paper, we present an analysis of the current experimental data under a two-gluon exchange model, which shows a good consistency. Using a parameterized function form with three free parameters, we have determined the nucleonic gluon distribution at the J/psi mass scale. Moreover, we predict the differential cross-section of the electroproduction of J/psi as a function of the invariant mass of the final hadrons W, at EicC, as a practical application of the model and the obtained gluon distribution. According to our estimation, hundreds of J/psi events can be detected per year on EicC near the threshold. Therefore, the relevant experimental measurements are suggested to be carried out on EicC.

Deciphering the mechanism of near-threshold J/psi photoproduction

The photoproduction of the J/psi off the proton is believed to deepen our understanding of various physics issues. On the one hand, it is proposed to provide access to the origin of the proton mass, based on the QCD multipole expansion. On the other hand, it can be employed in a study of pentaquark states. The process is usually assumed to proceed through vector-meson dominance, that is the photon couples to a J/psi which rescatters with the proton to give the J/psi p final state. In this paper, we provide a compelling hint for and propose measurements necessary to confirm a novel production mechanism via the varLambda _c bar{D}^{(*)} intermediate states. In particular, there must be cusp structures at the varLambda _c bar{D}^{(*)} thresholds in the energy dependence of the J/psi photoproduction cross section. The same mechanism also implies the J/psi -nucleon scattering lengths of order 1 mfm. Given this, one expects only a minor contribution of charm quarks to the nucleon mass.

Charm physics confronts high-pT lepton tails

We present a systematic survey of possible short-distance new-physics effects in (semi)leptonic charged- and neutral-current charmed meson decays. Using the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) to analyze the most relevant experimental data at low and high energies, we demonstrate a striking complementarity between charm decays and high invariant mass lepton tails at the LHC. Interestingly enough, high-pT Drell-Yan data offer competitive constraints on most new physics scenarios. Furthermore, the full set of correlated constraints from K, π and τ decays imposed by SU(2)L gauge invariance is considered. The bounds from D(s) decays, high-pT lepton tails and SU(2)L relations chart the space of the SMEFT affecting semi(leptonic) charm flavor transitions.

Next-to-leading-logarithm kT resummation for Bc → J/ψ decays

We derive the kT resummation for a transverse-momentum-dependent charmonium wave function, which involves the bottom quark mass mb, the charm quark mass mc, and the charm quark transverse momentum kT, up to the next-to-leading-logarithm (NLL) accuracy under the hierarchy mb≫mc≫kT. The resultant Sudakov factor is employed in the perturbative QCD (PQCD) approach to the Bc→J/ψ transition form factor A0Bc→J/Ψ(0) and the Bc+→J/ψπ+ decay. We compare the NLL resummation effect on these processes with the leading-logarithm one in the literature, and find a (5−10)% enhancement to the form factor A0Bc→J/Ψ(0) and a (10−20)% enhancement to the decay rate BR(Bc+→J/Ψπ+). The improved kT resummation formalism is applicable to the PQCD analysis of heavy meson decays to other charmonia.

Charm quark dynamics in quark-gluon plasma with 3 + 1D viscous hydrodynamics

The drag and diffusion coefficients are studied within the framework of Fokker-Planck dynamics for the case of a charm quark propagating in an expanding quark-gluon plasma. The space-time evolution of the nuclear matter created in the relativistic heavy-ion collision is modelled using MUSIC, a 3+1 D relativistic viscous hydrodynamic approach. The effect of viscous corrections to the heavy quark transport coefficients is explored by considering scattering processes with thermal quarks and gluons in the medium. It is observed that the momentum diffusion of the heavy quarks is sensitive to the shear and bulk viscosity to entropy ratios. The collisional energy loss of the charm quark in the viscous quark-gluon plasma is analyzed.

Theoretical study of the Ω(2012) state in the Ωc0→π+Ω(2012)−→π+(K¯Ξ)− and π+(K¯Ξπ)− decays

We report on a theoretical study of the newly observed $\Omega(2012)$ resonance in the nonleptonic weak decays of $\Omega_c^0 \to \pi^+ \bar{K}\Xi^*(1530) (\eta \Omega) \to \pi^+ (\bar{K}\Xi)^-$ and $\pi^+ (\bar{K}\Xi\pi)^-$ via final-state interactions of the $\bar{K}\Xi^*(1530)$ and $\eta \Omega$ pairs. The weak interaction part is assumed to be dominated by the charm quark decay process: $c(ss) \to (s + u + \bar{d})(ss)$, while the hadronization part takes place between the $sss$ cluster from the weak decay and a quark-antiquark pair with the quantum numbers $J^{PC} = 0^{++}$ of the vacuum, produces a pair of $\bar{K}\Xi^*(1530)$ and $\eta \Omega$. Accordingly, the final $\bar{K}\Xi^*(1530)$ and $\eta \Omega$ states are in pure isospin $I= 0$ combinations, and the $\Omega_c^0 \to \pi^+ \bar{K}\Xi^*(1530)(\eta \Omega) \to \pi^+ (\bar{K}\Xi)^-$ decay is an ideal process to study the $\Omega(2012)$ resonance. With the final-state interaction described in the chiral unitary approach, up to an arbitrary normalization, the invariant mass distributions of the final state are calculated, assuming that the $\Omega(2012)$ resonance with spin-parity $J^P = 3/2^-$ is a dynamically generated state from the coupled channels interactions of the $\bar{K}\Xi^*(1530)$ and $\eta \Omega$ in $s$-wave and $\bar{K}\Xi$ in $d$-wave. We also calculate the ratio, $R^{\bar{K}\Xi\pi}_{\bar{K}\Xi} = {\rm Br}[\Omega_c^0 \to \pi^+ \Omega(2012)^- \to \pi^+ (\bar{K}\Xi \pi)^-] / {\rm Br}[\Omega_c^0 \to \pi^+ \Omega(2012)^- \to \pi^+ (\bar{K}\Xi)^-$]. The proposed mechanism can provide valuable information on the nature of the $\Omega(2012)$ and can in principle be tested by future experiments.

μ→eγ selecting scalar leptoquark solutions for the (g−2)e,μ puzzles

We investigate all potentially viable scenarios that can produce the chiral enhancement required to simultaneously explain the $(g-2)_{e}$ and $(g-2)_{\mu}$ data with either a single scalar leptoquark or a pair of scalar leptoquarks. We provide classification of these scenarios in terms of their ability to satisfy the existing limits on the branching ratio for the $\mu \to e \gamma$ process. The simultaneous explanation of the $(g-2)_{e,\mu}$ discrepancies, coupled with the current experimental data, implies that the $(g-2)_e$ loops are exclusively due to the charm quark propagation whereas the $(g-2)_\mu$ loops are due to the top quark propagation. The scenarios where the $(g-2)_e$ loops are due to the top (bottom) quark propagation are, at best, approximately nine (three) orders of magnitude away from the experimental limit on the $\mu \to e \gamma$ branching ratio. All in all, there are only three particular scenarios that can pass the $\mu \to e \gamma$ test and simultaneously create large enough impact on the $(g-2)_{e,\mu}$ discrepancies when the new physics is based on the Standard Model fermion content. These are the $S_1$, $R_2$, and $S_1 \& S_3$ scenarios, where the first two are already known to be phenomenologically viable candidates with respect to all other flavor and collider data constraints. We show that the third scenario, where the right-chiral couplings to charged leptons are due to $S_1$, the left-chiral couplings to charged leptons are due to $S_3$, and the two leptoquarks mix through the Standard Model Higgs field, cannot address the $(g-2)_{e}$ and $(g-2)_{\mu}$ discrepancies at the $1\sigma$ level due to an interplay between $K_L^0 \to e^\pm \mu^\mp$, $Z \to e^+ e^-$, and $Z \to \mu^+ \mu^-$ data despite the ability of that scenario to avoid the $\mu \to e \gamma$ limit.

J/\u03c8 elliptic and triangular flow in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{s_{mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02 TeV

The inclusive J/ψ elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) flow coefficients measured at forward rapidity (2.5 < y < 4) and the v2 measured at midrapidity (|y| < 0.9) in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{s_{mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector at the LHC are reported. The entire Pb-Pb data sample collected during Run 2 is employed, amounting to an integrated luminosity of 750 μb−1 at forward rapidity and 93 μb−1 at midrapidity. The results are obtained using the scalar product method and are reported as a function of transverse momentum pT and collision centrality. At midrapidity, the J/ψ v2 is in agreement with the forward rapidity measurement. The centrality averaged results indicate a positive J/ψ v3 with a significance of more than 5σ at forward rapidity in the pT range 2 < pT< 5 GeV/c. The forward rapidity v2, v3, and v3/v2 results at low and intermediate pT (pT ≲ 8 GeV/c) exhibit a mass hierarchy when compared to pions and D mesons, while converging into a species-independent curve at higher pT. At low and intermediate pT, the results could be interpreted in terms of a later thermalization of charm quarks compared to light quarks, while at high pT, path-length dependent effects seem to dominate. The J/ψ v2 measurements are further compared to a microscopic transport model calculation. Using a simplified extension of the quark scaling approach involving both light and charm quark flow components, it is shown that the D-meson vn measurements can be described based on those for charged pions and J/ψ flow.

Nucleon axial, tensor, and scalar charges and σ -terms in lattice QCD

We determine the nucleon axial, scalar and tensor charges within lattice Quantum Chromodynamics including all contributions from valence and sea quarks. We analyze three gauge ensembles simulated within the twisted mass formulation at approximately physical value of the pion mass. Two of these ensembles are simulated with two dynamical light quarks and lattice spacing $a=0.094$~fm and the third with $a=0.08$~fm includes in addition the strange and charm quarks in the sea. After comparing the results among these three ensembles, we quote as final values our most accurate analysis using the latter ensemble. For the nucleon isovector axial charge we find $1.286(23)$ in agreement with the experimental value. We provide the flavor decomposition of the intrinsic spin $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^q$ carried by quarks in the nucleon obtaining for the up, down, strange and charm quarks $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^{u}=0.431(8)$, $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^{d}=-0.212(8)$, $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^{s}=-0.023(4)$ and $\frac{1}{2}\Delta\Sigma^{c}=-0.005(2)$, respectively. The corresponding values of the tensor and scalar charges for each quark flavor are also evaluated providing valuable input for experimental searches for beyond the standard model physics. In addition, we extract the nucleon $\sigma$-terms and find for the light quark content $\sigma_{\pi N}=41.6(3.8)$~MeV and for the strange $\sigma_{s}=45.6(6.2)$~MeV. The y-parameter that is used in phenomenological studies we find $y=0.078(7)$.

D meson mixing as an inverse problem

We calculate the parameters x and y for the D meson mixing in the Standard Model by considering a dispersion relation between them. The dispersion relation for a fictitious charm quark of arbitrary mass squared s is turned into an inverse problem, via which the mixing parameters at low s are solved with the perturbative inputs x(s) and y(s) from large s. It is shown that nontrivial solutions for x and y exist, whose values around the physical charm scale agree with the data in both CP-conserving and CP-violating cases. We then predict the observables |q/p|−1≈2×10−4 and Arg(q/p)≈6×10−3 degrees associated with the coefficient ratio for the D meson mixing, which can be confronted with more precise future measurements. Our work represents the first successful quantitative attempt to explain the D meson mixing parameters in the Standard Model.

Studies of Charm Quark Diffusion inside Jets Using Pb-Pb and pp Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV.

The first study of charm quark diffusion with respect to the jet axis in heavy ion collisions is presented. The measurement is performed using jets with p_{T}^{jet}>60 GeV/c and D^{0} mesons with p_{T}^{D}>4 GeV/c in lead-lead (Pb-Pb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV, recorded by the CMS detector at the LHC. The radial distribution of D^{0} mesons with respect to the jet axis is sensitive to the production mechanisms of the meson, as well as to the energy loss and diffusion processes undergone by its parent parton inside the strongly interacting medium produced in Pb-Pb collisions. When compared to MonteCarlo event generators, the radial distribution in pp collisions is found to be well described by pythia, while the slope of the distribution predicted by sherpa is steeper than that of the data. In Pb-Pb collisions, compared to the pp results, the D^{0} meson distribution for 4<p_{T}^{D}<20 GeV/c hints at a larger distance on average with respect to the jet axis, reflecting a diffusion of charm quarks in the medium created in heavy ion collisions. At higher p_{T}^{D}, the Pb-Pb and pp radial distributions are found to be similar.

Heavy Ω c and Ω b baryons in the quark model

In this contribution, we present a study of ground- and excited-state Ω c and Ω b baryons consisting of two strange quarks and a heavy charm or bottom quark. An analysis in the quark model shows that the recently observed excited Ω c and Ω b states can be interpreted in terms of λ-mode excitations.

Observation of structure in the J/ψ-pair mass spectrum

Using proton-proton collision data at centre-of-mass energies of s=7,8 and 13TeV recorded by the LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9fb-1, the invariant mass spectrum of J/ψ pairs is studied. A narrow structure around 6.9GeV/c2 matching the lineshape of a resonance and a broad structure just above twice the J/ψ mass are observed. The deviation of the data from nonresonant J/ψ-pair production is above five standard deviations in the mass region between 6.2 and 7.4GeV/c2, covering predicted masses of states composed of four charm quarks. The mass and natural width of the narrow X(6900) structure are measured assuming a Breit-Wigner lineshape.

Parametrically narrow tetraquark states containing one heavy quark and one heavy antiquark

This paper focuses on tetraquarks containing one heavy quark and one heavy antiquark in the formal limit where the heavy quark masses go to infinity. It extends the theoretical framework developed for tetraquark containing two heavy quarks based on semi-classical analysis and the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. It is shown that for sufficiently small light quark masses, parametrically narrow $q\bar{q}'Q\bar{Q}$ tetraquarks must exist in the formal limit of arbitrarily large heavy quark masses. The analysis is model-independent; it requires no assumptions about the structure of the state or the mechanism of its decay beyond what can be deduced directly from QCD. The formal analysis here is only directly applicable to tetraquarks with large angular momentum and hence does not directly apply to experimentally observed tetraquark candidates. We also discuss the condition needed for a version of the analysis to apply for low angular momenta states. Whether this condition holds can be explored via lattice calculations. Current lattice calculations suggest that the condition is not met. If these preliminary calculations are confirmed, there are strong implications for the nature of the observed tetraquark resonances containing $\bar{c}c$ or $\bar{b}b$ pairs. It raises the possibility that the observed tetraquarks exist and are narrow not because the charm and bottom quarks are extremely heavy, but because they are sufficiently light.

Charm fragmentation functions in the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model

We derive the fragmentation function (FF), which describes the probability for a charm quark to emit a $D$ meson with a certain momentum fraction, in the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model. The corresponding elementary FF is calculated with the quark-meson coupling determined in the NJL model involving charm quarks. The FF in the infinite momentum frame is constructed through the jet process governed by the elementary FF, and then evolved to the charm scale, at which it is defined. To prepare the FF suitable for an analysis of $D$ meson production at CLEO, we further match the above FF to that in the finite momentum frame at one loop in QCD. It is shown that the charm quark FF including the finite momentum effects leads to theoretical results in agreement with the CLEO data.

Measurement of the associated production of a Z boson with charm or bottom quark jets in proton-proton collisions at s=13 TeV

Ratios of cross sections, $\sigma$(Z+c jets) / $\sigma$(Z+jets), $\sigma$(Z+b jets) / $\sigma$(Z+jets), and $\sigma$(Z+c jets) / $\sigma$(Z+b jets) in the associated production of a Z boson with at least one charm or bottom quark jet are measured in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV. The data sample, collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$, with a fiducial volume of $p_\mathrm{T}$ $>$ 30 GeV and $|\eta|$ $<$ 2.4 for the jets, where $p_\mathrm{T}$ and $\eta$ represent transverse momentum and pseudorapidity, respectively. The Z boson candidates come from leptonic decays into electrons or muons with $p_\mathrm{T}$ $>$ 25 GeV and $|\eta|$ $<$ 2.4, and the dilepton mass satisfies 71 $\lt$ $m_\mathrm{Z}$ $\lt$ 111 GeV. The measured values are $\sigma$(Z+c jets) / $\sigma$(Z+jets) = 0.102 $\pm$ 0.002 $\pm$ 0.009, $\sigma$(Z+b jets) / $\sigma$(Z+jets) = 0.0633 $\pm$ 0.0004 $\pm$ 0.0015, and $\sigma$(Z+c jets) / $\sigma$(Z+b jets) = 1.62 $\pm$ 0.03 $\pm$ 0.15. Results on the inclusive and differential cross section ratios as functions of jet and Z boson transverse momentum are compared with predictions from leading and next-to-leading order perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations. These are the first measurements of the cross section ratios at 13 TeV.

Cold quark matter with heavy quarks and the stability of charm stars

We study the effects of heavy quarks on the equation of state for cold and dense quark matter obtained from perturbative QCD, yielding observables parametrized only by the renormalization scale. We investigate the thermodynamics of charm quark matter under the constraints of $\beta$ equilibrium and electric charge neutrality in a region of densities where perturbative QCD is, in principle, much more reliable. We also analyze the stability of charm stars, which might be realized as a new branch of ultradense hybrid compact stars, and find that such quark stars are unstable under radial oscillations.