Production of π 0 and η mesons in carbon-induced relativistic heavy-ion collisions

The production of π ⁰ and η mesons has been investigated in the system ¹²C+¹²C at 0.8A GeV, 1.0A GeV, and 2.0A GeV using the TAPS photon detector. The production cross sections and transverse-momentum distributions measured around midrapidity extend the existing systematics of neutral-meson production to light systems and the highest energy available at the GSI accelerator facility. At all beam energies scaling of the differential production cross section with the transverse mass of the emitted meson is observed. In addition π⁰ production has been studied in the mass-asymmetric systems ¹²C+¹⁹⁷Au and ¹⁹⁷Au+¹²C at 0.8A GeV.