Heavy quark production in heavy ion colliders

Abstract

We describe updated calculations of \(Q\bar Q\) production in pp and π -p interactions. We compare these results to total cross section data and discuss how the baseline cross sections extrapolate to heavy ion collider energies. We touch upon the differences between leading and next-to-leading order heavy quark production. Finally, we discuss the implications of our calculations for quarkonium production. Our discussion here focuses on bottom quarks.