Observation of a $$ {\varLambda}_b^0 $$ − $$ {\overline{\varLambda}}_b^0 $$ production asymmetry in proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 7 and 8 TeV

Abstract

This article presents differential measurements of the asymmetry between $$ {\varLambda}_b^0 $$ Λ b 0 and $$ {\overline{\varLambda}}_b^0 $$ Λ ¯ b 0 baryon production rates in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 7 and 8 TeV collected with the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb−1. The $$ {\varLambda}_b^0 $$ Λ b 0 baryons are reconstructed through the inclusive semileptonic decay $$ {\varLambda}_b^0 $$ Λ b 0 → $$ {\varLambda}_c^{+} $$ Λ c + μ−$$ \overline{\nu} $$ ν ¯ μX. The production asymmetry is measured both in intervals of rapidity in the range 2.15 < y < 4.10 and transverse momentum in 2 < pT< 27 GeV/c. The results are found to be incompatible with symmetric production with a significance of 5.8 standard deviations for both $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 7 and 8 TeV data, assuming no CP violation in the decay. There is evidence for a trend as a function of rapidity with a significance of 4 standard deviations. Comparisons to predictions from hadronisation models in Pythia and heavy-quark recombination are provided. This result constitutes the first observation of a particle-antiparticle asymmetry in b-hadron production at LHC energies.

Soft QCD theory

“…Soft QCD theory Torbjörn Sjöstrand Similar effects are predicted both for charm and bottom at the LHC, leading to small asymmetries also at central rapidities. Asymmetries of around 2% have now been observed by LHCb, favouring Λ b over Λ b [18]. The sign and the slowly rising rapidity dependence of the effect agrees with default P , but is about a factor of 2 lower.…”