Measurement of differences between J/psi and psi(') suppression in p-A collisions

Area of Science:

• High-energy particle physics
• Nuclear physics
• Quantum chromodynamics

Background:

• J/psi and psi(2S) mesons are crucial probes of the quark-gluon plasma.
• Previous studies have investigated heavy quarkonium suppression in various collision systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure the nuclear dependence of J/psi and psi(2S) production in proton-nucleus collisions.
• To investigate the kinematic dependencies of this suppression, specifically in Feynman-x (x(F)) and transverse momentum (p(T)).

Main Methods:

• Utilized 800 GeV/c proton beams incident on heavy and light nuclear targets.
• Analyzed J/psi and psi(2S) production yields across a wide range of x(F) and p(T).

Main Results:

• Observed suppression of J/psi and psi(2S) production on heavy nuclei relative to light nuclei.
• Suppression increases with Feynman-x (x(F)) and is strongest at low transverse momentum (p(T)).
• Demonstrated distinct suppression patterns for psi(2S) compared to J/psi, especially at low x(F).

Conclusions:

• Nuclear effects significantly influence heavy quarkonium production in proton-nucleus collisions.
• The observed kinematic dependence and differences between J/psi and psi(2S) provide insights into the mechanisms of quarkonium suppression.