https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-018-5687-2
Letter
Triple-parton scatterings in proton–nucleus collisions at high energies
1
EP Department, CERN, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
2
Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
3
Bogoliubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, JINR, 141980, Dubna, Russia
* e-mail: david.d'enterria@cern.ch
Received:
30
June
2017
Accepted:
4
March
2018
Published online:
8
May
2018
A generic expression to compute triple-parton scattering (TPS) cross sections in high-energy proton–nucleus (pA) collisions is derived as a function of the corresponding single-parton cross sections and an effective parameter encoding the transverse parton profile of the proton. The TPS cross sections are enhanced by a factor of about 
in pPb as compared to those in proton–nucleon collisions at the same center-of-mass energy. Estimates for triple charm (
) and bottom (
) production in pPb collisions at LHC and FCC energies are presented based on next-to-next-to-leading-order calculations for and single-parton cross sections. At 
TeV, about 10% of the pPb events have three pairs produced in separate partonic interactions. At 
TeV, the pPb cross sections for triple-
and triple- are 
(1–10 mb). In the most energetic collisions of cosmic rays in the upper atmosphere, equivalent to 
400 TeV, the TPS cross section equals the total p–Air inelastic cross section.
© The Author(s), 2018
