We report measurements of the production of prompt D$^0$, D$^+$, D$^{*+}$ and D$^+_{\rm s}$ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV, in the centrality classes 0-10%, 30-50% and 60-80%. The D-meson production yields are measured at mid-rapidity ($|y|<0.5$) as a function of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$). The $p_{\rm T}$ intervals covered in central collisions are: $1<p_{\rm T}<50$ Gev/$c$ for D$^0$, $2<p_{\rm T}<50$ GeV/$c$ for D$^+$, $3<p_{\rm T}<50$ GeV/$c$ for D$^{*+}$, and $4<p_{\rm T}<16$ GeV/$c$ for D$^+_{\rm s}$ mesons. The nuclear modification factors ($R_{\rm AA}$) for non-strange D mesons (D$^0$, D$^+$, D$^{*+}$) show minimum values of about 0.2 for $p_{\rm T}$ = 6-10 GeV/$c$ in the most central collisions and are compatible within uncertainties with those measured at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76$ TeV. For D$^+_{\rm s}$ mesons, the values of $R_{\rm AA}$ are larger than those of non-strange D mesons, but compatible within uncertainties. In central collisions the average $R_{\rm AA}$ of non-strange D mesons is compatible with that of charged particles for $p_{\rm T} > 8$ GeV/$c$, while it is larger at lower $p_{\rm T}$. The nuclear modification factors for strange and non-strange D mesons are also compared to theoretical models with different implementations of in-medium energy loss.
pT-differential yield of prompt D0 mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{sNN}=5.02 TeV in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of D0->Kpi : 0.0393.
pT-differential yield of prompt D+ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{sNN}=5.02 TeV in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of D+->Kpipi : 0.0946.
pT-differential yield of prompt D*+ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt{sNN}=5.02 TeV in the centrality class 0-10% in the rapidity interval |y|<0.5. Branching ratio of D*+->D0pi->Kpipi : 0.0393*0.677.
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.
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