Collision-System and Beam-Energy Dependence of Anisotropic Flow Fluctuations

Elliptic flow measurements from two-, four-, and six-particle correlations are used to investigate flow fluctuations in collisions of U + U at root S-NN = 193 GeV, Cu thorn Au at root S-NN = 200 GeV and Au thorn Au spanning the range root S-NN = 11.5-200 GeV. The measurements show a strong dependence of the flow fluctuations on collision centrality, a modest dependence on system size, and very little if any, dependence on particle species and beam energy. The results, when compared to similar LHC measurements, viscous hydrodynamic calculations, and TRENTO model eccentricities, indicate that initial-state-driven fluctuations predominate the flow fluctuations generated in the collisions studied.

Automated summary

This study investigates flow fluctuations in collisions by measuring elliptic flow from two-, four-, and six-particle correlations. The results show a strong dependence on collision centrality, a modest dependence on system size, and very little if any, dependence on particle species and beam energy. Comparisons with other experimental data and model calculations suggest that initial-state-driven fluctuations dominate the observed flow fluctuations.