Heavy-Quarkonium Production in High Energy Proton-Proton Collisions at RHIC

We update the study of the total Psi and Upsilon production cross section in proton-proton collisions at RHIC energies using the QCD-based Color-Singlet (CS) Model, including next-to-leading order partonic matrix elements. We also include charm-quark initiated processes which appear at leading order in alpha_s, but which have so far been overlooked in such studies. Contrary to earlier claims, we show that the CS yield is consistent with measurements over a broad range of J/Psi rapidities. We also find that charm-quark initiated processes, including both intrinsic and sea-like charm components, typically contribute at least 20% of the direct J/Psi yield, improving the agreement with data both for the integrated cross section and its rapidity dependence. The key signature for such processes is the observation of a charm-quark jet opposite in azimuthal angle phi to the detected J/Psi. Our results have impact on the proper interpretation of heavy-quarkonium production in heavy-ion collisions and its use as a probe for the quark-gluon plasma.Comment: 5 pages, 11 figures, LaTeX, version to appear as a Rapid Communication in Phys. Rev.

J/psi-Pair Production at Large Momenta: Indications for Double-Parton Scatterings and Large alpha_s^5 Contributions

We demonstrate that the recent studies of J/psi-pair production by CMS at the LHC and by D0 at the Tevatron reveal the presence of different production mechanisms in different kinematical regions. We find out that next-to-leading-order single parton scattering contributions at alpha_s^5 dominate the yield at large transverse momenta of the pair. Our analysis further emphasises the importance of double parton scatterings --which are expected to dominate the yield at large J/psi-rapidity differences-- at large invariant masses of the pair in the CMS acceptance, and thereby solve a large discrepancy between the theory and the CMS data. In addition, we provide the first exact --gauge-invariant and infrared-safe-- evaluation of a class of leading-P_T (P_T^-4) next-to-next-to-leading-order contributions at alpha_s^6, which can be relevant in the region of large values of P_T,min=min(P_T1,P_T2). Finally, we derive simple relations for the feed-down fractions from the production of an excited charmonium state with a J/psi in the case of the dominance of the double parton scatterings, which significantly deviate from those for single parton scatterings. Such relations can be used to discriminate these extreme scenari, either DPS or SPS dominance.Comment: 13 pg, 28 fig, LaTeX. v2: version to appear in Phys. Lett. B. Fit of sigma_eff performed on the CMS data accounting for the NLO SPS contributions; similar sigma_eff obtained as the D0 extraction. Conclusion unchanged: the CMS data can only be explained with the inclusion of significant DPS contributions; colour-octet and alpha_s^6 colour-singlet contributions are unimportant in the CMS acceptanc

Two-photon decay of pseudoscalar quarkonia

We report on our recent evaluation of the two-photon width of the pseudoscalar quarkonia, eta_c(nS) and eta_b(nS) in an approach based on Heavy-Quark Spin Symmetry (HQSS). To what concerns the 1S state eta_c, our parameter-free computation agrees with experiments, as well as most of other theoretical works. On the other hand, our computation for the 2S-state looks 2S like a confirmation that there may exist an anomaly related to the decay of eta_c(2S), especially in the light of the new preliminary result of the Belle collaboration. We also point out that the essentially model-independent ratio of eta_b two-photon width to the Upsilon leptonic width and the eta_b two-photon width could be used to extract the strong coupling constant alpha_s.Comment: Presented by T.N. Pham at the Joint Meeting Heidelberg-Liege-Paris-Wroclaw (HLPW08), Spa, Belgium, 6-8 March 2008, 9 pages, 2 figures, LaTeX, uses aip-6s.clo, aipproc.cls and aipxfm.sty (included

Energy Dependence of Direct-Quarkonium Production in pp Collisions from Fixed-Target to LHC Energies: Complete One-Loop Analysis

We compute the energy dependence of the P_T-integrated cross section of directly produced quarkonia in pp collisions at next-to-leading order (NLO), namely up to alpha_s^3, within nonrelativistic QCD (NRQCD). Our analysis is based on the idea that the P_T-integrated and the P_T-differential cross sections can be treated as two different observables. The colour-octet NRQCD parameters needed to predict the P_T-integrated yield can thus be extracted from the fits of the P_T-differential cross sections at mid and large P_T. For the first time, the total cross section is evaluated in NRQCD at full NLO accuracy using the recent NLO fits of the P_T-differential yields at RHIC, the Tevatron and the LHC. Both the normalisation and the energy dependence of the J/psi, psi' and Upsilon(1S), we obtained, are in disagreement with the data irrespective of the fit method. The same is true if one uses CEM-like colour-octet NRQCD parameters. If, on the contrary, one disregards the colour-octet contribution, the existing data in the TeV range are well described by the alpha_s^3 contribution in the colour-singlet model --which, at alpha_s^4, however shows an unphysical energy dependence. A similar observation is made for eta(c,b). This calls for a full NNLO or for a resummation of the initial-state radiation in this channel. In any case, past claims that colour-octet transitions are dominantly responsible for low-P_T quarkonium production are not supported by our results. This may impact the interpretation of quarkonium suppression in high-energy proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions.Comment: 15 pages, 22 Figures, LaTeX uses svepjc3.clo, svglov3.clo, svjour3.cls (included

Integral equation for gauge invariant quark Green's function

We consider gauge invariant quark two-point Green's functions in which the gluonic phase factor follows a skew-polygonal line. Using a particular representation for the quark propagator in the presence of an external gluon field, functional relations between Green's functions with different numbers of segments of the polygonal lines are established. An integral equation is obtained for the Green's function having a phase factor along a single straight line. The related kernels involve Wilson loops with skew-polygonal contours and with functional derivatives along the sides of the contours.Comment: 7 pages; talk given at the Joint Meeting Heidelberg-Liege-Paris-Wroclaw, Spa, 6-8 March 2008; to appear in the Proceedings (AIP

The charge conjugation quantum number in multiquark systems

We discuss the charge conjugation quantum number for tetraquarks or meson-meson molecules, seen as possible interpretations of the newly found $XYZ$ charmonium-like resonances.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, based on a talk given at the Joint Meeting Heidelberg-Liege-Paris-Wroclaw (HLPW08): Three Days of Strong Interactions and Astrophysics, Spa, March 6-8, 2008, Eqs. (18)-(25) corrected, text slightly polished, conclusions unchange

Forward Physics at the LHC: within and beyond the Standard Model

We review the detection capabilities in the forward direction of the various LHC experiments together with the associated physics programme. A selection of measurements accessible with near-beam instrumentation in various sectors (and extensions) of the Standard Model (SM) is outlined, including QCD (diffractive and elastic scattering, low-x parton dynamics, hadronic Monte Carlos for cosmic-rays), electroweak processes in gamma-gamma interactions, and Higgs physics (vector-boson-fusion and central exclusive production).Comment: 9 pages, 18 figs. Lectures given at the LAWHEP'07 School (Sao Miguel das Missoes, Brazil, 3-7 Dec 2007) to appear in Braz. J. Phys. Also presented in HLPW08 (Spa, Belgium, 6-8 Mar 2008) AIP Conf. Proceeds, to appear; and in HANUC European Grad. School (Jyvaskyla, Finland, 25-29 Aug. 2008

Production of J/psi+eta(c) vs. J/psi+J/psi at the LHC: Impact of Real alpha_s^5 corrections

We proceed for the first time to the evaluation of the Born cross section for J/psi+eta(c) production, namely via g+g -> J/psi+eta(c)+g, and show that it has a harder P_T spectrum than the J/psi-pair yield at Born level. If one stuck to a comparison at Born level, one would conclude that J/psi+eta(c) production would surpass that of J/psi+J/psi at large P_T. This is nonetheless not the case since J/psi-pair production, as for single J/psi, receives leading-P_T contributions at higher orders in alpha_s. We also present the first evaluation of these leading-P_T next-to-leading order contributions. These are indeed significant for increasing P_T and are of essential relevance for comparison with forthcoming data. We also compute kinematic correlations relevant for double-parton-scattering studies. Finally, we evaluate the polarisation of a J/psi accompanied either by a eta(c) or a J/psi and another light parton. These results may be of great help to understand the polarisation of quarkonia produced at high energies.Comment: 5 pages, 11 figures, LaTeX. v2: matches the PRL version (3 typos corrected and title changed

Core-collapse supernova neutrinos and neutrino properties

Core-collapse supernovae are powerful neutrino sources. The observation of a future (extra-)galactic supernova explosion or of the relic supernova neutrinos might provide important information on the supernova dynamics, on the supernova formation rate and on neutrino properties. One might learn more about unknown neutrino properties either from indirect effects in the supernova (e.g. on the explosion or on in the r-process) or from modifications of the neutrino time or energy distributions in a detector on Earth. Here we will discuss in particular possible effects of CP violation in the lepton sector. We will also mention the interest of future neutrino-nucleus interaction measurements for the precise knowledge of supernova neutrino detector response to electron neutrinos.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, Proceedings to "Three days of Strong Interactions & Astrophysics HLPW08", 6-8 March 2008, SP