Quarkonium suppression in heavy-ion collisions from coherent energy loss in cold nuclear matter

Abstract

The effect of parton energy loss in cold nuclear matter on the suppression of quarkonia (J/psi, Upsilon) in heavy-ion collisions is investigated, by extrapolating a model based on coherent radiative energy loss recently shown to describe successfully J/psi and Upsilon suppression in proton-nucleus collisions. Model predictions in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC (Au-Au, Cu-Cu, and Cu-Au) and LHC (Pb-Pb) show a sizable suppression arising from the sole effect of energy loss in cold matter. This effect should thus be considered in order to get a reliable baseline for cold nuclear matter effects in quarkonium suppression in heavy-ion collisions, in view of disentangling hot from cold nuclear effects.