$\mathrm{Λ_{c}^{+}}$ production in pp and in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm {NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV

Abstract

The production cross section of prompt $\mathrm{Λ_{c}^{+}}$ charm baryons was measured with the ALICE detector at the LHC at midrapidity in proton-proton (pp) and proton-lead (p-Pb) collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV. The $\mathrm{Λ_{c}^{+}}$ and $\rm {\overlineΛ{}_c^-}$ baryons were reconstructed in the hadronic decay channels $\rm Λ_{c}^{+} \rightarrow p K^{-}π^{+}$ and $\rm Λ_{c}^{+}\to p K^{0}_{S}$ and respective charge conjugates. The measured differential cross sections as a function of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) and the $p_{\rm T}$-integrated $\mathrm{Λ_{c}^{+}}$ production cross section in pp and in p-Pb collisions are presented. The $\mathrm{Λ_{c}^{+}}$ nuclear modification factor ($R_\mathrm{pPb}$), calculated from the cross sections in pp and in p-Pb collisions, is presented and compared with the $R_\mathrm{pPb}$ of D mesons. The $\mathrm {Λ_{c}^{+}}/\mathrm {D^0}$ ratio is also presented and compared with the light-flavour baryon-to-meson ratios p$/π$ and $Λ/\mathrm {K^0_S}$, and measurements from other LHC experiments. The results are compared to predictions from model calculations and Monte Carlo event generators.