Speaker
Description
The nuclear modification of quarkonium production serves as crucial evidence for the deconfined QCD medium production in nuclear collisions. This modification is shaped not only by medium-induced dissociation but also by a variety of initial- and final-state effects. The production of excited charmonium states in pPb collisions presents a controlled setting to further investigate these phenomena. Specifically, the production of $\chi_c$ mesons offers critical insights into feed-down contributions and the dependence of charmonium behavior on binding energy, as their masses lie between those of the ground state and $\psi(2S)$.
In this presentation, we share our studies on the production of $\chi_c$ mesons in pPb collisions with the CMS experiment. We report the relative production rates of $\chi_{c1,2}$ compared to $J/\psi$. Our analysis evaluates cross-section ratios as functions of transverse momentum, rapidity, and event activity. These results are compared with other measurements conducted at the LHC and with theoretical predictions, providing a deeper understanding of $\chi_c$ production mechanisms in nuclear collisions.
