Measurement of Prompt D-Meson Production in p-Pb Collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

The p(T)-differential production cross sections of the prompt charmed mesons D-0, D+, D*(-), and D-s(+) and their charge conjugate in the rapidity interval -0.96 < y(cms) < 0.04 were measured in p-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy root s(NN) = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The nuclear modification factor R-pPb, quantifying the D-meson yield in p-Pb collisions relative to the yield in pp collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions, is compatible within the 15%-20% uncertainties with unity in the transverse momentum interval 1 < p(T) < 24 GeV/c. No significant difference among the R-pPb of the four D-meson species is observed. The results are described within uncertainties by theoretical calculations that include initial-state effects. The measurement adds experimental evidence that the modification of the momentum spectrum of D mesons observed in Pb-Pb collisions with respect to pp collisions is due to strong final-state effects induced by hot partonic matter.