We calculate the prompt neutrino flux from atmospheric charm production by
cosmic rays, using the dipole picture in a perturbative QCD framework, which
incorporates the parton saturation effects present at high energies. We compare
our results with the next-to-leading order perturbative QCD result and find
that saturation effects are large for neutrino energies above 10^6 GeV, leading
to a substantial suppression of the prompt neutrino flux. We comment on the
range of prompt neutrino fluxes due to theoretical uncertainties.Comment: 13 pages with 11 figures; expanded discussion, added references,
version to be published in Phys. Rev.