Measurement of Prompt D-Meson Production in p-Pb Collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV

The pT-differential production cross sections of the prompt charmed mesons D0, D+, D*+, and D+s and their charge conjugate in the rapidity interval −0.96 < y_cms < 0.04 were measured in p-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy √sNN = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The nuclear modification factor R_pPb, quantifying the D-meson yield in p-Pb collisions relative to the yield in pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions, is compatible within the 15%–20% uncertainties with unity in the transverse momentum interval 1 < pT < 24 GeV=c. No significant difference among the R_pPb of the four D-meson species is observed. The results are described within uncertainties by theoretical calculations that include initial-state effects. The measurement adds experimental evidence that the modification of the momentum spectrum of D mesons observed in Pb-Pb collisions with respect to pp collisions is due to strong final-state effects induced by hot partonic matter