J/psi production and absorption in high energy proton-nucleus collisions

Measured J/psi production cross sections for 200 and 450 GeV/c protons inci dent on a variety of nuclear targets are analyzed within a Glauber framewor k which takes into account energy loss of the beam proton, the time delay o f particle production due to quantum coherence, and absorption of the J/psi on nucleons. The best representation is obtained for a coherence time of 0 .5 fm/c, previously determined by Drell-Yan production in proton-nucleus co llisions, and an absorption cross section of 3.6 mb, which is consistent wi th the value deduced from photoproduction of the J/psi, on nuclear targets. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.