Inclusive J/ψ production at forward and backward rapidity in p-Pb collisions at √sNN=8.16 TeV

Inclusive J/psi production is studied in p-Pb interactions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision root s(NN) = 8.16 TeV, using the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC. The J/psi meson is reconstructed, via its decay to a muon pair, in the centreof-mass rapidity intervals 2.03 < Y-cms < 3.53 and -4.46 < Y-cms < -2.96, where positive and negative Y(cms )refer to the p-going and Pb-going direction, respectively. The transverse momentum coverage is PT < 20 GeV/c. In this paper, Y-cms- and P-T-differential cross sections for inclusive J/psi production are presented, and the corresponding nuclear modification factors R-pPb are shown. Forward results show a suppression of the J/psi yield with respect to pp collisions, concentrated in the region P-T less than or similar to 5 GeV/c. At backward rapidity no significant suppression is observed. The results are compared to previous measurements by ALICE in p-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 5.02 TeV and to theoretical calculations. Finally, the ratios R-FB between forward- and backward-Y-cms R-pPb values are shown and discussed.