EPJC-07-08-014 - Measurement of $D^0$, $D^+$, $D_s^+$  and $D^{*+}$ Production in
Fixed Target 920~GeV Proton-Nucleus Collisions

Dear Prof. Križan:
I trasmit you below the referee's report on the manuscript you submitted to EPJC.
Please send me the .ps of the revised version and I will recommand it for
publication.

Sincerely,
Prof. Clara Matteuzzi
European Physical Journal C


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REFEREE'S REPORT ON MANUSCRIPT


The manuscript reports on the production of charm mesons in fixed target
collisions at the HERA-B experiment.  The results presented include
inclusive cross sections, differential cross-sections as a function of p_t
and x,  and a study of the atomic mass dependence of the cross-sections.
In addition to taking these studies to higher beam energies than previously
explored (here protons of 920 GeV), several of the measured quantities,
such as the ratio of charged to neutral D production, are the most precise
results yet obtained in pA reactions.

The studies that are reported are of significant scientific interest.   The
description of the analysis is well structured and clearly presented.
The analysis procedure appears to be sound and has been thoroughly
executed.   I recommend therefore that the submitted manuscript
be published without revision in EPJC.

I spotted two miniscule typos which the authors may wish to fix:
 1) section 2, pg 2, column 1, last para:  'The RICH detector is...' ->
    'The RICH detector was...' would make the tense consistent for the
    section.
 2) pg 10:  missing fullstop at the end of footnote 3)