Study of Z Bosons Produced in Association with Charm in the Forward Region

Abstract

Events containing a $Z$ boson and a charm jet are studied for the first time in the forward region of proton-proton collisions. The data sample used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $6 \, {\rm fb}^{-1}$ collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the LHCb detector. In events with a $Z$ boson and a jet, the fraction of charm jets is determined in intervals of $Z$-boson rapidity in the range $2.0 < y(Z) < 4.5$. A sizable enhancement is observed in the forward-most $y(Z)$ interval, which could be indicative of a valence-like intrinsic-charm component in the proton wave function.