Study of bottom quark dynamics via non-prompt D⁰ and J/ψ in Pb+Pb collisions at √sNN=5.02 TeV

We study bottom quark energy loss via the nuclear modification factor (RAA) and elliptic flow (v₂) of non-prompt D⁰ and J/ψ in relativistic heavy-ion collisions at the LHC. The space-time profile of quark-gluon plasma is obtained from the CLVisc hydrodynamics simulation, the dynamical evolution of heavy quarks inside the color deconfined QCD medium is simulated using a linear Boltzmann transport model that combines Yukawa and string potentials of heavy-quark-medium interactions, the hadronization of heavy quarks is performed using a hybrid coalescence-fragmentation model, and the decay of B mesons is simulated via PYTHIA. Using this numerical framework, we calculate the transverse momentum (pT) dependent RAA and v₂ of direct D mesons, B mesons, and non-prompt D⁰ and J/ψ from B meson decay in Pb+Pb collisions at √sNN=5.02 TeV. We find the mass hierarchy of the nuclear modification of prompt D and B mesons depends on their pT. Both RAA and v₂ of heavy flavor particles show strong pT and centrality dependences due to the interplay between parton energy loss, medium geometry and flow, and hadronization of heavy quarks. Non-prompt D⁰ and J/ψ share similar patterns of RAA and v₂ to B mesons except for a pT shift during the decay processes. Therefore, future more precise measurements on non-prompt D⁰ and J/ψ can help further pin down the bottom quark dynamics inside the quark-gluon plasma.