Coherent ρ 0 photoproduction in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV...

We report the first measurement at the LHC of coherent photoproduction of rho(0) mesons in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions. The invariant mass and transverse momentum distributions for rho(0) production are studied in the pi(+)pi(-) decay channel at mid-rapidity. The production cross section in the rapidity range vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.5 is found to be d sigma/dy = 425 +/- 10 (stat.) (+42)(-50) (sys.) mb. Coherent rho(0) production is studied with and without requirement of nuclear breakup, and the fractional yields for various breakup scenarios are presented. The results are compared with those from lower energies and with model predictions.