Tuning PYTHIA8 for heavy-flavor production at RHIC energies using the PROFESSOR method.

PYTHIA is a commonly used event generator to model relativistic collisions. With an upgrade from the Fortran-based PYTHIA6 to a C++-based PYTHIA8, in addition to new physics processes, newer models based on Multi-Parton Interactions (MPI) have been implemented. In the process, the Monash tune of model parameters for PYTHIA8 was developed to describe data at LHC energies. However, when using the Monash tune for RHIC energies, there is a significant difference between the event generator output and the experimental data, specifically for heavy flavor production. We approach this problem by using the PROFESSOR tuning method to optimize the model parameters. Writing Rivet analyses to compare PYTHIA8 simulation to data allows PROFESSOR to calculate a goodness of fit function, which is sampled within our parameter space. Using a polynomial fit on the model parameters, and minimizing a goodness of fit function, the optimal tune is calculated. We hope to use this to tune PYTHIA8 to better model physics at RHIC energies.