Production of pi(0) and eta mesons in U plus U collisions at root S-NN=192 GeV

Abstract

The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider measured pi(0) and eta mesons at midrapidity in U + U collisions at root S-NN = 192 GeV in a wide transverse momentum range. Measurements were performed in the pi(0)(eta) -˃ gamma gamma decay modes. A strong suppression of pi(0) and eta meson production at high transverse momentum was observed in central U + U collisions relative to binary scaled p + p results. Yields of pi(0) and eta mesons measured in U + U collisions show similar suppression pattern to those measured in Au + Au collisions at root S-NN = 200 GeV for similar numbers of participant nucleons. The eta/pi(0) ratios do not show dependence on centrality or transverse momentum and are consistent with previously measured values in hadron-hadron, hadron-nucleus, nucleus-nucleus, and e(+)e(-) collisions.