Transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) spectra of charged particles at mid-pseudorapidity in Xe-Xe collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.44 TeV measured with the ALICE apparatus at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. The kinematic range $0.15 < p_{\rm T} < 50$ GeV/$c$ and $|\eta| < 0.8$ is covered. Results are presented in nine classes of collision centrality in the 0-80% range. For comparison, a pp reference at the collision energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.44 TeV is obtained by interpolating between existing \pp measurements at $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 and 7 TeV. The nuclear modification factors in central Xe-Xe collisions and Pb-Pb collisions at a similar center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV, and in addition at 2.76 TeV, at analogous ranges of charged particle multiplicity density $\left\langle\rm{d}N_{\rm ch}/\rm{d}\eta\right\rangle$ show a remarkable similarity at $p_{\rm T}> 10$ GeV/$c$. The comparison of the measured $R_{\rm AA}$ values in the two colliding systems could provide insight on the path length dependence of medium-induced parton energy loss. The centrality dependence of the ratio of the average transverse momentum $\left\langle p_{\rm{T}}\right\rangle$ in Xe-Xe collisions over Pb-Pb collision at $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 TeV is compared to hydrodynamical model calculations.
Transverse momentum spectra of charged particles in XeXe collisions in nine centrality classes.
Interpolated pp reference spectrum and invariant cross section.
Nuclear modification factor for XeXe. Additional systematic error: 0-5 pct data: +6.1 pct -6.1 pct 5-10 pct data: +6.6 pct -6.6 pct 10-20 pct data: +7.4 pct -7.4 pct 20-30 pct data: +9.8 pct -9.8 pct 30-40 pct data: +11.5 pct -11.5 pct 40-50 pct data: +12.9 pct -12.9 pct 50-60 pct data: +13.8 pct -13.8 pct 60-70 pct data: +14.0 pct -14.0 pct 70-80 pct data: +12.9 pct -12.9 pct