η(c) production at the LHC challenges nonrelativistic QCD factorization

We analyze the first measurement of η_{c} production, performed by the LHCb Collaboration, in the nonrelativistic QCD (NRQCD) factorization framework at next-to-leading order (NLO) in the strong-coupling constant α_{s} and the relative velocity v of the bound quarks including the feeddown from h_{c} mesons. Converting the long-distance matrix elements extracted by various groups from J/ψ yield and polarization data to the η_{c} case using heavy-quark spin symmetry, we find that the resulting NLO NRQCD predictions greatly overshoot the LHCb data, while the color-singlet model provides an excellent description.