Collision-geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions
We introduce the concepts of participant triangularity and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions, analogous to the definitions of participant eccentricity and elliptic flow. The participant triangularity characterizes the triangular anisotropy of the initial nuclear overlap geometry and arises fro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
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American Physical Society
2010
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/57450 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8983-2169 |
| _version_ | 1826205004136972288 |
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| author | Alver, Burak Han Roland, Gunther M |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics Alver, Burak Han Roland, Gunther M |
| author_sort | Alver, Burak Han |
| collection | MIT |
| description | We introduce the concepts of participant triangularity and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions, analogous to the definitions of participant eccentricity and elliptic flow. The participant triangularity characterizes the triangular anisotropy of the initial nuclear overlap geometry and arises from event-by-event fluctuations in the participant-nucleon collision points. In studies using a multiphase transport model (AMPT), a triangular flow signal is observed that is proportional to the participant triangularity and corresponds to a large third Fourier coefficient in two-particle azimuthal correlation functions. Using two-particle azimuthal correlations at large pseudorapidity separations measured by the PHOBOS and STAR experiments, we show that this Fourier component is also present in data. Ratios of the second and third Fourier coefficients in data exhibit similar trends as a function of centrality and transverse momentum as in AMPT calculations. These findings suggest a significant contribution of triangular flow to the ridge and broad away-side features observed in data. Triangular flow provides a new handle on the initial collision geometry and collective expansion dynamics in heavy-ion collisions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:05:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/57450 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:05:14Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/574502023-02-26T04:21:51Z Collision-geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions Alver, Burak Han Roland, Gunther M Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Laboratory for Nuclear Science Roland, Gunther M. Roland, Gunther M. Alver, Burak Han We introduce the concepts of participant triangularity and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions, analogous to the definitions of participant eccentricity and elliptic flow. The participant triangularity characterizes the triangular anisotropy of the initial nuclear overlap geometry and arises from event-by-event fluctuations in the participant-nucleon collision points. In studies using a multiphase transport model (AMPT), a triangular flow signal is observed that is proportional to the participant triangularity and corresponds to a large third Fourier coefficient in two-particle azimuthal correlation functions. Using two-particle azimuthal correlations at large pseudorapidity separations measured by the PHOBOS and STAR experiments, we show that this Fourier component is also present in data. Ratios of the second and third Fourier coefficients in data exhibit similar trends as a function of centrality and transverse momentum as in AMPT calculations. These findings suggest a significant contribution of triangular flow to the ridge and broad away-side features observed in data. Triangular flow provides a new handle on the initial collision geometry and collective expansion dynamics in heavy-ion collisions. United States Department of Energy (Grant DE-FG02- 94ER40818) 2010-07-23T15:12:54Z 2010-07-23T15:12:54Z 2010-05 2010-05 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0556-2813 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/57450 Alver, B., and G. Roland. “Collision-geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions.” Physical Review C 81.5 (2010): 054905. © 2010 The American Physical Society. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8983-2169 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.81.054905 Physical Review C Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf American Physical Society APS |
| spellingShingle | Alver, Burak Han Roland, Gunther M Collision-geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions |
| title | Collision-geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions |
| title_full | Collision-geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions |
| title_fullStr | Collision-geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Collision-geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions |
| title_short | Collision-geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy-ion collisions |
| title_sort | collision geometry fluctuations and triangular flow in heavy ion collisions |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/57450 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8983-2169 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alverburakhan collisiongeometryfluctuationsandtriangularflowinheavyioncollisions AT rolandguntherm collisiongeometryfluctuationsandtriangularflowinheavyioncollisions |