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The PHENIX Collaboration presents a systematic study of inclusive π0 production from p+p, p+Al, p+Au, d+Au, and He3+Au collisions at sNN=200GeV. Measurements were performed with different centrality selections as well the total inelastic, 0–100%, selection for all collision systems. For 0–100% collisions, nuclear-modification factors, RxA, are consistent unity pT above 8GeV/c, but exhibit an enhancement in peripheral suppression central collisions. characteristics similar systems same class. It is shown that high-pT−π0 production, nucleons d He3 interact mostly independently Au nucleus counterintuitive dependence likely due to physical correlation between multiplicity presence hard scattering process. These observations disfavor models where parton energy loss has significant contribution nuclear modifications small Nuclear lower resemble Cronin effect—an increase followed by peak or inelastic plateau height characteristic ordering system size p+Au>d+Au>He3+Au>p+Al. ions, current calculations based on initial-state cold matter effects result opposite order, suggesting other contributions modifications, particular pT.6 MoreReceived 11 November 2021Accepted 3 May 2022DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.105.064902©2022 American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasHadronic decaysLeptonic, semileptonic & radiative decaysParticle resonance productionParticle decaysRelativistic heavy-ion collisionsPhysical SystemsMesonsTechniquesHadron collidersNuclear Physics