Triple parton scatterings in high-energy proton-proton collisions

Abstract

A generic expression to compute triple parton scattering (TPS) cross sections in high-energy proton-proton (pp) collisions is presented as a function of the corresponding single-parton cross sections and the transverse parton distribution in the proton encoded in an effective parameter ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{eff},\mathrm{TPS}}$. The value of ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{eff},\mathrm{TPS}}$ is closely related to the similar effective cross section that characterizes double-parton scatterings, and amounts to ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{eff},\mathrm{TPS}}=12.5\pm 4.5$ mb. Estimates for triple charm ($\mathrm{c}\overline{\mathrm{c}}$) and bottom ($\mathrm{b}\overline{\mathrm{b}}$) production in pp collisions at LHC and FCC energies are presented based on next-to-next-to-leading order perturbative calculations for single $\mathrm{c}\overline{\mathrm{c}},\mathrm{b}\overline{\mathrm{b}}$ cross sections. At $\sqrt{s}\approx$ 100 TeV, about 15% of the pp collisions produce three $\mathrm{c}\overline{\mathrm{c}}$ pairs from three different parton-parton scatterings.

Comments: 4 pages, 2 figures