The observation of light nuclei at ALICE and the X(3872) conundrum

Abstract

The new data reported by ALICE on the production of light nuclei with pT < 10 GeV in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 2.76 TeV are used to compute an order-of-magnitude estimate of the expected production cross sections of light nuclei in proton-proton collisions at high transverse momenta. We compare the hypertriton, helium-3 and deuteron production cross sections to that of X(3872), measured in prompt pp collisions by CMS. The results we find suggest a different production mechanism for the X(3872), making questionable any loosely bound molecule interpretation.

5 pages, 2 figures. Version accepted on PRD

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• The ALICE experiment: a journey through QCD
• Diquark Correlations in Hadron Physics: Origin, Impact and Evidence
• A Theory of X and Z Multiquark Resonances
• A $bb\bar{b}\bar{b}$ di-bottomonium at the LHC?
• Testing coalescence and statistical-thermal production scenarios for (anti-)(hyper-)nuclei and exotic QCD objects at energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider
• Amplitude analysis and the nature of the Zc(3900)
• Hybridized Tetraquarks
• The nature of $X(3872)$ from high-multiplicity $pp$ collisions
• From the lineshape of the $X(3872)$ to its structure
• Tetraquark Production in Double Parton Scattering
• X(3872) Production in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions
• Production of exotic hadrons in $pp$ and nuclear collisions
• Compact $sssc\bar{c}$ pentaquark states predicted by a quark model
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• Production of exotic charmonium in $\gamma \gamma$ interactions at hadronic colliders
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• The X(3872) tetraquarks in B and B_s decays
• $X(3872)$ as virtual companion pole of the charm-anticharm state ${\chi }_{c1}(2P)$
• Counting states and the Hadron Resonance Gas: Does X(3872) count?
• Probing the nature of the ${\chi }_{c1}(3872)$ state using radiative decays
• Are the XYZ states unconventional states or conventional states with unconventional properties?
• Substructure of Multiquark Hadrons (Snowmass 2021 White Paper)
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• Probing the structure of $X(3872)$ in photoproduction
• A short review on the compositeness of the $X(3872)$
• INFN What Next: Ultra-relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions
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• Study of conventional and non-conventional scalar and vector mesons
• The Compact X and Z and their Invisible Molecular Partners
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