Common suppression pattern of η and π0 mesons at high transverse momentum in Au+Au collisions at VsNN=200 GeV

Abstract

Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of η mesons have been measured within pT=2–10 GeV/c at midrapidity by the PHENIX experiment in Au+Au collisions at VsNN=200 GeV. In central Au+Au the η yields are significantly suppressed compared to peripheral Au+Au, d+Au, and p+p yields scaled by the corresponding number of nucleon-nucleon collisions. The magnitude, centrality, and pT dependence of the suppression is common, within errors, for η and π0. The ratio of η to π0 spectra at high pT amounts to 0.40