Inclusive J/$\psi$ production at forward and backward rapidity in p–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=8.16$ TeV

Inclusive J/$\psi$ production is studied in p–Pb interactions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=8.16$ TeV, using the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC. The J/$\psi$ meson is reconstructed, via its decay to a muon pair, in the centre-of-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 $p_T<20$ 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 $p_T\lesssim 5$ GeV/$c$. At backward rapidity no significant suppression is observed. The results are compared to previous measurements by ALICE in p–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=5.02$ TeV and to theoretical calculations. Finally, the ratios $R_{FB}$ between forward- and backward-$y_{cms}$$R_{pPb}$ values are shown and discussed.