Measurement of beauty and charm production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 TeV via non-prompt and prompt D mesons
The pT-differential production cross sections of prompt and non-prompt (produced in beauty-hadron decays) D mesons were measured by the ALICE experiment at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5) in proton-proton collisions at s√ = 5.02 TeV. The data sample used in the analysis corresponds to an integrated luminosity of (19.3 ± 0.4) nb -1 . D mesons were reconstructed from their decays D 0 → K - π + , D + → K - π + π + , and D$^+_s$→ φπ + → K - K + π + and their charge conjugates. Compared to previous measurements in the same rapidity region, the cross sections of prompt D + and D$^+_s$ mesons have an extended pT coverage and total uncertainties reduced by a factor ranging from 1.05 to 1.6, depending on pT, allowing for a more precise determination of their pT-integrated cross sections. The results are well described by perturbative QCD calculations. The fragmentation fraction of heavy quarks to strange mesons divided by the one to non-strange mesons, f s /(f u + f d ), is compatible for charm and beauty quarks and with previous measurements at different centre-of-mass energies and collision systems. The $b\bar{b}$ production cross section per rapidity unit at midrapidity, estimated from non-prompt D-meson measurements, is d$σ_{b\bar{b}}$/d$y$| |y|<0.5 = $34.5 ± 2.4(stat)^{+4.7}_{-2.9}$(tot.syst) μb. It is compatible with previous measurements at the same centre-of-mass energy and with the cross section pre- dicted by perturbative QCD calculations.