Charmed sea contribution to the inclusive hadroproduction of the mesons with open charm in the Quark -- Gluon String Model

Abstract

The hadroproduction of charmed mesons is discussed within the framework of the modified Quark-Gluon String model (QGSM) taking into account the decays of corresponding $S$--wave resonances like $D^*$. It is shown that the estimate of the $c\bar{c}$--pair contribution to the quark sea of colliding hadrons strongly depends on the parametrization of the function of the leading light quark fragmentation into charmed mesons. A description of the existing experimental data on inclusive spectra and asymmetries of leading and nonleading $D$ - and $D^*$ - meson production in $ \pi p$ -, $p p$ - and $\Sigma p$ - collisions is obtained. The predictions for leading/nonleading asymmetry in $\Sigma^- p$-- and $\Xi^-p$-- collisions are also given.