Charmonium production in high multiplicity p p collisions and the structure of the proton

Abstract

In this work we study charmonium production in high multiplicity proton-proton collisions. We investigate the role of the spatial distribution of partons in the protons and assume that the proton has a Y shape. In this configuration quarks are more at the surface and gluons in the inner part of the proton. Going from peripheral to more central and then to ultra-central proton-proton collisions, we go from quark-quark collisions to gluon-gluon collisions. Since gluons are much more abundant, the cross sections grow. In the case of charm production this growth is enhanced by the fact that, $\sigma( g + g \to c + \bar{c}) >> \sigma( q + \bar{q} \to c + \bar{c})$. These effects can explain the growth seen in the data.