Four-jet production via double parton scattering in $pA$ collisions at the LHC

Abstract

We present predictions for the double parton scattering (DPS) four-jet production cross sections in $pA$ collisions at the LHC. Relying on the experimental capabilities to correlate centrality with impact parameter $B$ of the proton-nucleus collision, we discuss a strategy to extract the double parton scattering contributions in $pA$ collisions, which gives direct access to double parton distribution in the nucleon. We show that the production cross sections via DPS of four jets, out of which two may be light- or heavy-quark jets, are large enough to allow the method to be used already with data accumulated in 2016 $pA$ run.