arXiv subjects

M. Strikman

Publications and source records attributed to M. Strikman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Accessing transverse nucleon and gluon distributions in heavy nuclei using coherent vector meson photoproduction at high energies in ion ultraperipheral collisions

By using the theoretical approaches describing well the available data on $t$-integrated coherent photoproduction of light and heavy vector mesons in Pb-Pb ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Run 1, we calculate the momentum transfer distributions for this process for $ρ$ and $J/ψ$ vector mesons in the kinematics of Run 2 at the LHC. We demonstrate that nuclear shadowing not only suppresses the absolute value of the cross sections, but also shifts the momentum transfer distributions toward smaller values of the momentum transfer $|t|$. This result can be interpreted as a broadening in the impact parameter space of the effective nucleon density in nuclei by 14\% in the case of $ρ$ and the nuclear gluon distribution by $5-11$\% in the case of $J/ψ$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2017

Estimating nonlinear effects in forward dijet production in ultra-peripheral heavy ion collisions at the LHC

Using the framework that interpolates between the leading power limit of the Color Glass Condensate and the High Energy (or $k_{T}$) factorization we calculate the direct component of the forward dijet production in ultra-peripheral $\mathrm{Pb}$-$\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions at CM energy $5.1\,\mathrm{TeV}$ per nucleon pair. The formalism is applicable when the average transverse momentum of the dijet system $P_{T}$ is much bigger than the saturation scale $Q_{s}$, $P_{T}\gg Q_{s}$, while the imbalance of the dijet system can be arbitrary. The cross section is uniquely sensitive to the Weizsäcker-Williams (WW) unintegrated gluon distribution, which is far less known from experimental data than the most common dipole gluon distribution appearing in inclusive small-$x$ processes. We have calculated cross sections and nuclear modification ratios using WW gluon distribution obtained from the dipole gluon density through the Gaussian approximation. The dipole gluon distribution used to get WW was fitted to the inclusive HERA data with the nonlinear extension of unified BFKL+DGLAP evolution equation. The saturation effects are visible but rather weak for realistic $p_{T}$ cut on the dijet system, reaching about $20\%$ with the cut as low as $6\,\mathrm{GeV}$. We find that the LO collinear factorization with nuclear leading twist shadowing predicts quite similar effects.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Open charm production in Double Parton Scattering processes in the forward kinematics

We calculate the rate of double open charm production in the forward kinematics studied recently in the LHCb experiment. We find that the mean field approximation for the double parton GPD (Generalized parton distributions), which neglects parton - parton correlations, underestimates the rate by a factor of two. The enhancement due to the perturbative QCD correlation \12 mechanism which explains the rate of double parton interactions at the central rapidities is found to explain 60 $÷$ 80 \% of the discrepancy. We argue that the nonperturbative fluctuations leading to non-factorized (correlated) contributions to the initial conditions for the DGLAP collinear evolution of the double parton GPD play an important role in this kinematics. Combined, the two correlation mechanisms provide a good description of the rate of double charm production reported by the LHCb. We also give predictions for the variation of the \effs (i.e. the ratio of double and square of single inclusive rates) in the discussed kinematics as a function of $p_t$. The account for two correlation mechanisms strongly reduces sensitivity of the results to the starting point of the QCD evolution.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Heavy quark production at an Electron-Ion Collider

An Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) with center-of-mass energies sqrt(s_{eN}) ~ 20-100 GeV and luminosity L ~ 10^{34} cm^{-2} s^{-1} would offer new opportunities to study heavy quark production in high-energy electron or photon scattering on protons and nuclei. We report about an R&D project exploring the feasibility of direct measurements of nuclear gluon densities at large x (gluonic EMC effect, antishadowing) using open charm production at EIC. We describe the charm production rates and angle-momentum distributions at large x and discuss methods of charm reconstruction using next-generation detector capabilities (pi/K identification, vertex reconstruction). The results can be used also for other physics applications of heavy quark production at EIC (fragmentation functions, jets, heavy quark propagation in nuclei).

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Probing nuclear gluons with heavy quarks at EIC

We explore the feasibility of direct measurements of nuclear gluon densities using heavy-quark production (open charm, beauty) at a future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). We focus on the regions x > 0.3 (EMC effect) and x ~ 0.05-0.1 (antishadowing), where the nuclear modifications of the gluon density offer insight into non-nucleonic degrees of freedom and the QCD structure of nucleon-nucleon interactions. We describe the charm production rates and momentum distributions in nuclear deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) at large x_B, and comment on the possible methods for charm reconstruction using next-generation detectors at the EIC (pi/K identification, tracking, vertex detection).

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Exploring QCD dynamics in medium energy $γA$ semiexclusive collisions

We demonstrate that studies of the semiexclusive large angle photon - nucleus reactions: $γ+ A\to h_1+h_2 +(A-1)^*$ with tagged photon beams of energies $6 ÷10$ GeV which can be performed in Hall D at Thomas Jefferson National Acceleration Facility (TJNAF) would allow to probe several aspects of the QCD dynamics: establish the $t$-range in which transition from soft to hard dynamics occurs, compare the strength of the interaction of various mesons and baryons with nucleons at the energies of few GeV, as well as look for the color transparency effects.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Exploring minijets beyond the leading power

The crucial parameter of the current Monte Carlo models of high energy hadron-hadron interaction is the transverse momentum cutoff $p_{T0}$ for parton-parton interactions which slowly grows with energy and regularizes the cross section. This modification of the collinear factorization formula goes beyond the leading power and thus a natural question arises if such cutoff can be extracted from a formalism which takes into account power corrections. In this work, we consider the High Energy Factorization (HEF) valid at small $x$ and a new model, based on a similar principle to HEF, which in addition has a limit respecting the Dokshitzer-Dyakonov-Troyan formula for the dijet momentum disbalance spectrum. Minijet cross section and its suppression is then analyzed in two ways. First, we study minijets directly in the low-$p_T$ region, and demonstrate that higher twist corrections do generate suppression of the inclusive jet production cross section though these effects are not leading to the increase of the cutoff with incident energy. Second, we consider hard inclusive dijet production where Multi Parton Interactions (MPIs) with minijets produce power corrections. We introduce an observable constructed from differential cross section in the ratio $τ$ of dijet disbalance to the average dijet $p_T$ and demonstrate that the $τ>1$ region is sensitive to the cutoff $p_{T0}$ in the MPI minijet models. The energy dependence of the cutoff is reflected in the energy dependence of the bimodality coefficient $b$ of the $τ$ distribution. We compare $b$ calculated from $\mathsf{pythia}$, where one can conveniently control MPIs by the program parameters, and HEF for a few unintegrated gluon distributions (UGDs). We find that the energy dependence of $b$ is very sensitive to the particular choice of UGD and in some models it resembles predictions of the Monte Carlo models.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Color transparency in $π^-$-induced dilepton production on nuclei

We argue that the observation of the color transparency effect in the semiexclusive $A(π^-,l^+ l^-)$ process is important for determining whether it is possible to extract the generalized parton distributions of the nucleon from the elementary reaction $π^- p \to l^+ l^- n$ at $p_{\rm lab}=15-20$ GeV/c at small $|t|$ and large invariant mass of the dilepton pair $l^+ l^-$. Assuming that the transverse size of the pionic $q \bar q$ pair in the hard interaction point is similar to the one in the reaction $γ^* p\to π^+ n$ studied at JLab we predict large color transparency effects in the discussed kinematic range. We also suggest that the semiexclusive $ρ^0$ production in $π^-$-induced reactions in the same beam momentum region may provide new information on the dynamics of the interaction in the non-vacuum channel, while the $J/ψ$ production can be used to get information on $J/ψN$ total interaction cross section.,

nucl-th↗

arXiv2016

Nuclear shadowing in photoproduction of $ρ$ mesons in ultraperipheral nucleus collisions at RHIC and the LHC

We argue that with an increase of the collision energy, elastic photoproduction of $ρ$ mesons on nuclei becomes affected by the significant cross section of photon inelastic diffraction into large masses, which results in the sizable inelastic nuclear shadowing correction to $σ_{γA \to ρA}$ and the reduced effective $ρ$-nucleon cross section. We take these effects into account by combining the vector meson dominance model, which we upgrade to include the contribution of high-mass fluctuations of the photon according to QCD constraints, and the Gribov-Glauber approximation for nuclear shadowing, where the inelastic nuclear shadowing is included by means of cross section fluctuations. The resulting approach allows us to successfully describe the data on elastic $ρ$ photoproduction on nuclei in heavy ion UPCs in the $7 \ {\rm GeV} < W_{γp} < 46$ GeV energy range and to predict the value of the cross section of coherent $ρ$ photoproduction in Pb-Pb UPCs at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=5.02$ TeV in Run 2 at the LHC, $dσ_{Pb Pb \to ρPb Pb} (y=0)/dy= 560 \pm 25$ mb.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

Electron-deuteron DIS with spectator tagging at EIC: Development of theoretical framework

An Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) would enable next-generation measurements of deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) on the deuteron with detection of a forward-moving nucleon (p, n) and measurement of its recoil momentum ("spectator tagging"). Such experiments offer full control of the nuclear configuration during the high-energy process and can be used for precision studies of the neutron's partonic structure and its spin dependence, nuclear modifications of partonic structure, and nuclear shadowing at small x. We review the theoretical description of spectator tagging at EIC energies (light-front nuclear structure, on-shell extrapolation in the recoil nucleon momentum, final-state interactions, diffractive effects at small x) and report about on-going developments.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Determination of the structure of the $X(3872)$ in $\bar p A$ collisions

Currently, the structure of the $X(3872)$ meson is unknown. Different competing models of the $c\bar c$ exotic state $X(3872)$ exist, including the possibilities that this state is either a mesonic molecule with dominating $D^0 \bar D^{*0} +c.c.$ composition, a $c \bar c q \bar q$ tetraquark, or a $c \bar c$-gluon hybrid state. It is expected that the $X(3872)$ state is rather strongly coupled to the $\bar p p$ channel and, therefore, can be produced in $\bar p p$ and $\bar pA$ collisions at PANDA. We propose to test the hypothetical molecular structure of $X(3872)$ by studying the $D$ or $\bar D^{*}$ stripping reactions on a nuclear residue.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2015

Proceedings of the Sixth International Workshop on Multiple Partonic Interactions at the Large Hadron Collider

Multiple Partonic Interactions are often crucial for interpreting results obtained at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The quest for a sound understanding of the dynamics behind MPI - particularly at this time when the LHC is due to start its "Run II" operations - has focused the aim of this workshop. MPI@LHC2014 concentrated mainly on the phenomenology of LHC measurements whilst keeping in perspective those results obtained at previous hadron colliders. The workshop has also debated some of the state-of-the-art theoretical considerations and the modeling of MPI in Monte Carlo event generators. The topics debated in the workshop included: Phenomenology of MPI processes and multiparton distributions; Considerations for the description of MPI in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD); Measuring multiple partonic interactions; Experimental results on inelastic hadronic collisions: underlying event, minimum bias, forward energy flow; Monte Carlo generator development and tuning; Connections with low-x phenomena, diffraction, heavy-ion physics and cosmic rays. In a total of 57 plenary talks the workshop covered a wide range of experimental results, Monte Carlo development and tuning, phenomenology and dedicated measurements of MPI which were produced with data from the LHC's Run I. Recent progress of theoretical understanding of MPI in pp, pA and AA collisions as well as the role of MPI in diffraction and small-x physics were also covered. The workshop forstered close contact between the experimental and theoretical communities. It provided a setting to discuss many of the different aspects of MPI, eventually identifying them as a unifying concept between apparently different lines of research and evaluating their impact on the LHC physics programme.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Electron Ion Collider: The Next QCD Frontier - Understanding the glue that binds us all

This White Paper presents the science case of an Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), focused on the structure and interactions of gluon-dominated matter, with the intent to articulate it to the broader nuclear science community. It was commissioned by the managements of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) with the objective of presenting a summary of scientific opportunities and goals of the EIC as a follow-up to the 2007 NSAC Long Range plan. This document is a culmination of a community-wide effort in nuclear science following a series of workshops on EIC physics and, in particular, the focused ten-week program on "Gluons and quark sea at high energies" at the Institute for Nuclear Theory in Fall 2010. It contains a brief description of a few golden physics measurements along with accelerator and detector concepts required to achieve them, and it benefited from inputs from the users' communities of BNL and JLab. This White Paper offers the promise to propel the QCD science program in the U.S., established with the CEBAF accelerator at JLab and the RHIC collider at BNL, to the next QCD frontier.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2014

Double parton interactions in $γp, γA$ collisions in the direct photon kinematics

We derive expressions for the differential distributions and the total cross section of double- parton interaction in direct photon interaction with proton and nuclei. We demonstrate that in this case the cross section is more directly related to the nucleon generalized parton distribution than in the case of double parton interactions in the proton - proton collisions. We focus on the production of two dijets each containing charm (anticharm) quarks and carrying $x_1,x_2>0.2$ fractions of the photon momentum. Numerical results are presented for the case of $γp$ collisions at LHeC, HERA and in the ultraperipheral $AA$ and $pA$ collisions at the LHC. We find that the events of this kind would be abundantly produced at the LHeC. For $\sqrt{s}=1.3$ TeV the expected rate is $2\cdot 10^8$ events for the luminosity $10^{34}$ cm$^{-2}s^{-1}$, the running time of $10^6$ s and the transverse cutoff of $p_t>5$ GeV. This would make it feasible to use these processes for the model independent determination of two parton GPDs in nucleon and in nuclei. For HERA the total accumulated number of the events is also high, but efficiency of the detection of charm seems too low to study the process. We also find that a significant number of such double parton interactions should be produced in $p - Pb$ and $Pb- Pb$ collisions at the LHC: $\sim 6\cdot 10^4$ for $Pb-Pb$, and $\sim 7 \cdot 10^3$ for $p-Pb$ collisions for the same transverse momentum cutoff.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Neutron spin structure with polarized deuterons and spectator proton tagging at EIC

The neutron's deep-inelastic structure functions provide essential information for the flavor separation of the nucleon parton densities, the nucleon spin decomposition, and precision studies of QCD phenomena in the flavor-singlet and nonsinglet sectors. Traditional inclusive measurements on nuclear targets are limited by dilution from scattering on protons, Fermi motion and binding effects, final-state interactions, and nuclear shadowing at x << 0.1. An Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) would enable next-generation measurements of neutron structure with polarized deuteron beams and detection of forward-moving spectator protons over a wide range of recoil momenta (0 < p_R < several 100 MeV in the nucleus rest frame). The free neutron structure functions could be obtained by extrapolating the measured recoil momentum distributions to the on-shell point. The method eliminates nuclear modifications and can be applied to polarized scattering, as well as to semi-inclusive and exclusive final states. We review the prospects for neutron structure measurements with spectator tagging at EIC, the status of R&D efforts, and the accelerator and detector requirements.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Revealing nucleon and nucleus flickering in pA collisions at the LHC

We analyze $pA$ interactions at ultra-high energies within the semiclassical approximation for high energy processes accounting for the diffractive processes and a rapid increase with the incident energy of the coherence length. The fluctuations of the strength of interaction expected in QCD and momentum conservation are taken into account also. We evaluate the number of wounded nucleons in soft and hard processes, the multiplicity of jets in the proton fragmentation region as a function of the variance of the distribution over the interaction strengths directly measured in forward diffractive $pN$ scattering for RHIC and LHC energies. We argue that these results could be used to test whether parton configurations containing a parton carrying the $x\ge 0.5$ fraction of the projectile momentum interact significantly weaker than on average. We also study leading twist shadowing and the EMC effect for superdense nuclear matter configurations probed in the events with larger than average number of wounded nucleons.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Disentangling coherent and incoherent quasielastic $J/ψ$ photoproduction on nuclei by neutron tagging in ultraperipheral ion collisions at the LHC

We consider $J/ψ$ photoproduction in ion--ion ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) at the LHC and RHIC in the coherent and incoherent quasielastic channels with and without accompanying forward neutron emission and analyze the role of nuclear gluon shadowing at small $x$, $x=10^{-4}-10^{-2}$, in these processes. We find that despite the good agreement between large nuclear gluon shadowing and the ALICE data in the coherent channel, in the incoherent channel, the leading twist approximation predicts the amount of nuclear suppression which is by approximately a factor of $1.5$ exceeds that seen in the data. We hypothesize that part of the discrepancy can be accounted for by the incoherent inelastic process of $J/ψ$ photoproduction with nucleon dissociation. To separate the high-photon-energy and low-photon-energy contributions to the $d σ_{AA\to AAJ/ψ}(y)/dy$ cross section, we consider ion--ion UPCs accompanied by neutron emission due to electromagnetic excitation of one or both colliding nuclei. We describe the corresponding PHENIX data and make predictions for the LHC kinematics. In addition, in the incoherent quasielastic case, we show that the separation between the low-photon-energy and high-photon-energy contributions can be efficiently performed by measuring the correlation between the directions of $J/ψ$ and the emitted neutrons.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Shadowing in multiparton proton - deuteron collisions

We study the screening effect for the multiparton interactions (MPI) for proton--deuteron collisions in the kinematics where one parton belonging to the deuteron has small $x_1$ so the leading twist shadowing is present while the second parton ($x_2$) is involved in the interaction %%ms in the kinematics where shadowing effects are small. We find that the ratio of the shadowing and the impulse approximation terms is approximately factor of two larger for MPI than for the single parton distributions. We also calculate the double parton antishadowing (DPA) contribution to the cross section due to the independent interactions of the partons ofthe projectile proton with two nucleons of the deuteron and find that shadowing leads to a strong reduction ofthe DPA effect.For example, for the resolution scale $Q_1^2 \sim 4$~$\mbox{GeV}^2$ of the interaction with parton $x_1$ we find that shadowing reduces the DPA effect by $\sim$ 30%. It is argued that in the discussed kinematics the contribution of interference diagrams, which correspond to the interchange ofpartonsbetween the proton and neutron, constitutes only a small correction to the shadowing contributions.

hep-ph↗