The production of prompt charmed mesons D$^0$, D$^+$ and D$^{*+}$, and their antiparticles, was measured with the ALICE detector in Pb-Pb collisions at the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair, $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$, of 2.76 TeV. The production yields for rapidity $|y|<0.5$ are presented as a function of transverse momentum, $p_{\rm T}$, in the interval 1-36 GeV/$c$ for the centrality class 0-10% and in the interval 1-16 GeV/$c$ for the centrality class 30-50%. The nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$ was computed using a proton-proton reference at $\sqrt{s} = 2.76$ TeV, based on measurements at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV and on theoretical calculations. A maximum suppression by a factor of 5-6 with respect to binary-scaled pp yields is observed for the most central collisions at $p_{\rm T}$ of about 10 GeV/$c$. A suppression by a factor of about 2-3 persists at the highest $p_{\rm T}$ covered by the measurements. At low $p_{\rm T}$ (1-3 GeV/$c$), the $R_{\rm AA}$ has large uncertainties that span the range 0.35 (factor of about 3 suppression) to 1 (no suppression). In all $p_{\rm T}$ intervals, the $R_{\rm AA}$ is larger in the 30-50% centrality class compared to central collisions. The D-meson $R_{\rm AA}$ is also compared with that of charged pions and, at large $p_{\rm T}$, charged hadrons, and with model calculations.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yield of prompt ${\rm D}^{0}$ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76~{\rm TeV}$ in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of ${\rm D}^{0}$->${\rm K}^{0}\pi^{+}$ : 0.0388. The second (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the B feed-down contribution. The first (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the other sources.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yield of prompt ${\rm D}^{+}$ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76~{\rm TeV}$ in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of ${\rm D}^{+}$->${\rm K}^{-}\pi^{+}\pi^{+}$ : 0.0913. The second (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the B feed-down contribution. The first (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the other sources.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yield of prompt ${\rm D}^{*+}$ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76~{\rm TeV}$ in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of ${\rm D}^{*+}$->${\rm D}^{0}\pi^{+}$->${\rm K}^{-}\pi^{+}\pi^{+}$ : 0.0388*0.677. The second (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the B feed-down contribution. The first (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the other sources.
The nuclear modification factor, $R_{\rm AA}$, of the prompt charmed mesons ${\rm D^0}$, ${\rm D^+}$ and ${\rm D^{*+}}$, and their antiparticles, was measured with the ALICE detector in Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV in two transverse momentum intervals, $5<p_{\rm T}<8$ GeV/$c$ and $8<p_{\rm T}<16$ GeV/$c$, and in six collision centrality classes. The $R_{\rm AA}$ shows a maximum suppression of a factor of 5-6 in the 10% most central collisions. The suppression and its centrality dependence are compatible within uncertainties with those of charged pions. A comparison with the $R_{\rm AA}$ of non-prompt ${\rm J}/\psi$ from B meson decays, measured by the CMS Collaboration, hints at a larger suppression of D mesons in the most central collisions.
${\rm D^+}$ meson $R_{\rm AA}$ in $5 < p_{\rm T} < 8$ GeV/c.
${\rm D^+}$ meson $R_{\rm AA}$ in $8 < p_{\rm T} < 16$ GeV/c.
${\rm D^{*+}}$ meson $R_{\rm AA}$ in $5 < p_{\rm T} < 8$ GeV/c.
Azimuthally anisotropic distributions of D$^0$, D$^+$ and D$^{*+}$ mesons were studied in the central rapidity region ($|y|<0.8$) in Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV per nucleon-nucleon collision, with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The second Fourier coefficient $v_2$ (commonly denoted elliptic flow) was measured in the centrality class 30-50% as a function of the D meson transverse momentum $p_{\rm T}$, in the range 2-16 GeV/$c$. The measured $v_2$ of D mesons is comparable in magnitude to that of light-flavour hadrons. It is positive in the range $2 < p_{\rm T} < 6$ GeV/$c$ with $5.7\sigma$ significance, based on the combination of statistical and systematic uncertainties.
v2 vs. pt for D0. The first systematic (sys) error is that from the data analysis and the second is from the B feed-down subtraction, as explained in the paper.
v2 vs. pt for D+. The first systematic (sys) error is that from the data analysis and the second is from the B feed-down subtraction, as explained in the paper.
v2 vs. pt for D*+. The first systematic (sys) error is that from the data analysis and the second is from the B feed-down subtraction, as explained in the paper.
The production of the prompt charm mesons $D^0$, $D^+$, $D^{*+}$, and their antiparticles, was measured with the ALICE detector in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC, at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=2.76$ TeV per nucleon--nucleon collision. The $p_{\rm T}$-differential production yields in the range $2<p_{\rm T}<16$ GeV/c at central rapidity, $|y|<0.5$, were used to calculate the nuclear modification factor $R_{AA}$ with respect to a proton-proton reference obtained from the cross section measured at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV and scaled to $\sqrt{s}=2.76$ TeV. For the three meson species, $R_{AA}$ shows a suppression by a factor 3-4, for transverse momenta larger than 5 GeV/c in the 20% most central collisions. The suppression is reduced for peripheral collisions.
The transverse momentum distribution for prompt D0 mesons in the Centrality range 0-20%. The second (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the B feed-down contribution. The first (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the other sources.
The transverse momentum distribution for prompt D0 mesons in the Centrality range 40-80%. The second (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the B feed-down contribution. The first (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the other sources.
The transverse momentum distribution for prompt D+ mesons in the Centrality range 0-20%. The second (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the B feed-down contribution. The first (sys) error is the systematic uncertainty from the other sources.