Nuclear dependence of charm production

Abstract

Using data taken by SELEX during the 1996-1997 fixed target run at Fermilab, we study the production of charmed hadrons on copper and carbon targets with ∑ -, p, π -, and π + beams. Parametrizing the dependence of the inclusive production cross section on the atomic number A as A α, we determine α for D +, D 0, D s+, D +(2010), Λ c+, and their respective anti-particles, as a function of their transverse momentum p t and scaled longitudinal momentum x F . Within our statistics there is no dependence of α on x F for any charm species for the interval 0.1 <1.0. The average value of α for charm production by pion beams is α meson=0.850±0.028. This is somewhat larger than the corresponding average α baryon=0.755±0.016 for charm production by baryon beams (∑ -, p). © 2009 Springer-Verlag/Società Italiana di Fisica.