Charm Balance Functions and Correlations in Proton–Proton Collisions from PYTHIA 8.3

We present theoretical predictions for charm hadron correlation functions, with a focus on balance functions, in proton-proton (pp) collisions at snn based on simulations using the extsc{Pythia} 8.3 event generator. These studies are motivated by the growing interest in understanding charm production mechanisms, flavor conservation, and hadronization dynamics in small collision systems. The analysis includes both identical and cross-species charmed hadron pairs, such as $Lambda_c^+Lambda_c^-$, $D^0ar{D}^0$, and mixed combinations like $Lambda_c^+D^-$, considering events from minimum bias as well as high-pt-biased samples. We investigate how the strength of correlations varies with the number of balanced charm quark flavors and explore the sensitivity of the shape and magnitude of the balance functions to key parameters governing the Lund string fragmentation model in extsc{Pythia}. This includes variations in the parameters $a$ and $b$ that control the fragmentation function's behavior in the Lund model, which in turn affects the spatial and momentum separation of charm–anticharm hadron pairs. By comparing results from different parameter tunes and event selection criteria, we assess the feasibility of using charm balance functions as observables to constrain charm hadronization and production models. Furthermore, we discuss the prospects for measuring such observables with the future ALICE 3 experiment, considering its projected tracking and vertexing capabilities, as well as its extended acceptance. These predictions aim to provide guidance for future measurements and to highlight the potential of charm correlations as sensitive probes of QCD dynamics in small systems.