Hard scattering cross sections at LHC in the Glauber approach: from pp to pA and AA collisions

Abstract

The scaling rules of the invariant yields and cross sections for hard scattering processes in proton-nucleus ($pA$) and nucleus-nucleus ($AB$) reactions at LHC energies relative to those of nucleon-nucleon $NN$ (isospin averaged $pp$) collisions are reviewed within the Glauber geometrical formalism. The number of binary inelastic collisions for different centrality classes in p+Pb and Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 8.8 TeV and 5.5 TeV respectively, as obtained from a Glauber Monte Carlo, are also given.