Study of the neutral mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV in the ALICE experiment at LHC

Abstract

The $\pi^{0}$ and $\eta$ meson production in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV is studied with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The $\pi^{0}$ invariant yields and nuclear modification factor $R_{\mbox{AA}}$ are presented here in six centrality classes. The results are a combined measurement using the Photon Conversion Method (PCM) and the PHOS detector, in the transverse momentum range 0.4 $< p_{\mbox{T}} <$ 12 GeV/$c$. The $\pi^{0}$ $R_{\mbox{AA}}$ is studied in different centrality classes and compared with results from experiments at lower energies, both as a function of transverse momentum. The $\eta$ meson production is studied using the PCM and the EMCal detector. The combination of the individual results will make possible the measurement of the $\eta$ differential invariant cross section as a function of transverse momentum from 1 to 22 GeV/$c$ in different centrality classes.