Present theoretical uncertainties on charm hadroproduction in QCD and prompt neutrino fluxes

Abstract

Prompt neutrino fluxes are basic backgrounds in the search of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin, performed by means of full-size neutrino telescopes located at Earth, under ice or under water. Predictions for these fluxes are provided on the basis of up-to-date theoretical results for charm hadroproduction in perturbative QCD, together with a comprehensive discussion of the various sources of theoretical uncertainty affecting their computation, and a quantitative estimate of each uncertainty contribution.

Comments: 4 pages, 2 figures, invited contribution to VLVNT 2015, Rome, Italy, September 14-16 2015