Enhanced production of $\psi(2S)$ mesons in heavy ion collisions

Abstract

We study the production of a $\psi(2S)$ meson in heavy ion collisions. We evaluate Wigner functions for the $\psi(2S)$ meson using both Gaussian and Coulomb wave functions, and investigate the wave function dependence in the $\psi(2S)$ meson production by recombination of charm and anti-charm quarks. The enhanced transverse momentum distribution of $\psi(2S)$ mesons compared to that of $J/\psi$ mesons, originated from wave function distributions of the $\psi(2S)$ and $J/\psi$ meson in momentum space, provides a plausible explanation for the recent measurement of the nuclear modification factor ratio between the $\psi(2S)$ and $J/\psi$ meson.