Charm quark transport in Pb+Pb reactions at sqrt{s}_NN=2.76 TeV from a (3+1) dimensional hybrid approach

Abstract

We implement a Langevin approach for the transport of charm quarks in the UrQMD (hydrodynamics + Boltzmann) hybrid model. Due to the inclusion of event-by-event fluctuations and a full (3+1) dimensional hydrodynamic evolution, this approach provides a more realistic model for the evolution of the matter produced in heavy ion collisions as compared to simple homogeneous fireball expansions usually employed. As drag and diffusion coefficients we use a resonance approach for elastic heavy-quark scattering and assume a decoupling temperature of the charm quarks from the hot medium of 130 MeV. A coalescence approach at the decoupling temperature for the hadronization of the charm quarks to D-mesons is also included. We present calculations of the nuclear modification factor R_AA as well as the elliptic flow v_2 in Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt s_NN=2.76 TeV. The comparison to ALICE measurements shows a very good agreement with our calculations.