The inclusive production rates of isolated, prompt photons in p+Pb collisions at sNN=8.16 TeV are studied with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider using a dataset with an integrated luminosity of 165 nb−1 recorded in 2016. The cross-section and nuclear modification factor RpPb are measured as a function of photon transverse energy from 20 GeV to 550 GeV and in three nucleon–nucleon centre-of-mass pseudorapidity regions, (−2.83,−2.02), (−1.84,0.91), and (1.09,1.90). The cross-section and RpPb values are compared with the results of a next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculation, with and without nuclear parton distribution function modifications, and with expectations based on a model of the energy loss of partons prior to the hard scattering. The data disfavour a large amount of energy loss and provide new constraints on the parton densities in nuclei.

Aaboud, M., Aad, G., Abbott, B., Abbott, D.C., Abdinov, O., Abeloos, B., et al. (2019). Measurement of prompt photon production in sNN=8.16 TeV p + Pb collisions with ATLAS. PHYSICS LETTERS. SECTION B, 796, 230-252 [10.1016/j.physletb.2019.07.031].

Measurement of prompt photon production in sNN=8.16 TeV p + Pb collisions with ATLAS

Ceradini F.;Di Micco B.;Di Nardo R.;Orestano D.;