Flow harmonics ($v_n$) in the Fourier expansion of the azimuthal distribution of particles are widely used to quantify the anisotropy in particle emission in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. The symmetric cumulants, $SC(m,n)$, are used to measure the correlations between different orders of flow harmonics. These correlations are used to constrain the initial conditions and the transport properties of the medium in theoretical models. In this Letter, we present the first measurements of the four-particle symmetric cumulants in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 39 and 200 GeV from data collected by the STAR experiment at RHIC. We observe that $v_{2}$ and $v_{3}$ are anti-correlated in all centrality intervals with similar correlation strengths from 39 GeV Au+Au to 2.76 TeV Pb+Pb (measured by the ALICE experiment). The $v_{2}$-$v_{4}$ correlation seems to be stronger at 39 GeV than at higher collision energies. The initial-stage anti-correlations between second and third order eccentricities are sufficient to describe the measured correlations between $v_{2}$ and $v_{3}$. The best description of $v_{2}$-$v_{4}$ correlations at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV is obtained with inclusion of the system's nonlinear response to initial eccentricities accompanied by the viscous effect with $\eta/s$ $>$ 0.08. Theoretical calculations using different initial conditions, equations of state and viscous coefficients need to be further explored to extract $\eta/s$ of the medium created at RHIC.
Symmetric cumulant SC(2,3) and SC(2,4) as a function of average number of participant nucleons in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV.
Symmetric cumulant SC(2,3) as a function of average number of participant nucleons in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 39 GeV.
Symmetric cumulant SC(2,4) as a function of average number of participant nucleons in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 39 GeV.
The results from the STAR Collaboration on directed flow (v_1), elliptic flow (v_2), and the fourth harmonic (v_4) in the anisotropic azimuthal distribution of particles from Au+Au collisions at sqrtsNN = 200 GeV are summarized and compared with results from other experiments and theoretical models. Results for identified particles are presented and fit with a Blast Wave model. Different anisotropic flow analysis methods are compared and nonflow effects are extracted from the data. For v_2, scaling with the number of constituent quarks and parton coalescence is discussed. For v_4, scaling with v_2^2 and quark coalescence is discussed.
Directed flow of charged hadrons v1{3} as a function of pseudorapidity for 10–70% centrality.
Directed flow of charged hadrons v1 {EP1,EP2} as a function of pseudorapidity for 20–60% centrality.
Charged hadron v2 for the centrality bins 5 to 10% and in steps of 10% starting at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 up to 80% along with min. bias as a function of p_T.
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