Centrality scaling of the p(T) distribution of pions

From the preliminary data of PHENIX on the centrality dependence of the pi(0) spectrum in p(T) at midrapidity in heavy-ion collisions, we show that a scaling behavior exists that is independent of the centrality. It is then shown that degrades with increasing N(part) exponentially with a decay constant that can be quantified. A scaling distribution in terms of an intuitive scaling variable is derived that is analogous to the Koba-Nielsen-Olesen scaling. No theoretical models are used in any part of this phenomenological analysis.