Forward Physics in Proton-Nucleus and Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

We present an universal treatment for a substantial nuclear suppression representing a common feature of all known reactions on nuclear targets (forward production of high-p(T) hadrons, production of direct photons, the Drell-Yan process. heavy flavor production, etc.). Such a suppression at lace Feynman x(F), corresponding to region of minimal light-cone momentum fraction variable x in nuclei, is tempting to interpret as a manifestation of coherence: or the Color Glass Condensate. We demonstrate. however, that it is actually a simple consequence of energy conservation and takes place even at low energies, where no effects of coherence are possible. We analyze this common suppression mechanism for several processes performing model predictions in the light-cone dipole approach. Our calculations agree with the data.