Heavy quark production by a quasi-classical color field in proton-nucleus collisions

Abstract

We calculate the inclusive heavy quark production cross section for proton-nucleus collisions at high energies. We perform calculation in a quasi-classical approximation (McLerran-Venugopalan model) neglecting all low-x evolution effects. The derived expression for the differential cross section can be applied for studying the heavy quark production in the central rapidity region at RHIC.

Figures (3)

• Figure 1: Diagrams which contribute to the heavy quark production in the light-cone perturbation theory. A: $\tau_1<0$, $t_1<0$, $\tau_2<0$, $t_2<0$, B: $\tau_1<0$, $\tau_2<0$, $t_1>0$, $t_2>0$, C: $\tau_1>0$, $t_1>0$, $\tau_2>0$, $t_2>0$, D: $\tau_1<0$, $t_1<0$, $\tau_2<0$, $t_2>0$, E: $\tau_1>0$, $t_1>0$, $\tau_2<0$, $t_2>0$, F: $\tau_1<0$, $t_1<0$, $\tau_2>0$, $t_2>0$. Not shown are the complex conjugates D$^*$: $\tau_1<0$, $t_1>0$, $\tau_2<0$, $t_2<0$, E$^*$: $\tau_1<0$, $t_1>0$, $\tau_2>0$, $t_2>0$, F$^*$: $\tau_1>0$, $t_1>0$, $\tau_2<0$, $t_2<0$. Instantaneous interaction of a $q_vgq\bar{q}$ system with the nucleus happens at light-cone time $\tau_\mathrm{int}=0$. The final state is denoted by the vertical dashed line at $\tau=\infty$.
• Figure 2: Diagrams contributing to the time ordering of the diagram F in Fig. \ref{['nine']}.
• Figure 3: Diagrams contributing to the time ordering of the diagram D in Fig. \ref{['nine']}