We report the beam energy and collision centrality dependence of fifth and sixth order cumulants ($C_{5}$, $C_{6}$) and factorial cumulants ($\kappa_{5}$, $\kappa_{6}$) of net-proton and proton distributions, from $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 3 - 200$ GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC. The net-proton cumulant ratios generally follow the hierarchy expected from QCD thermodynamics, except for the case of collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3 GeV. $C_{6}/C_{2}$ for 0-40% centrality collisions is increasingly negative with decreasing $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$, while it is positive for the lowest $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ studied. These observed negative signs are consistent with QCD calculations (at baryon chemical potential, $\mu_{B} \leq$ 110 MeV) that include a crossover quark-hadron transition. In addition, for $\sqrt{s_{NN}} \geq$ 11.5 GeV, the measured proton $\kappa_{n}$, within uncertainties, does not support the two-component shape of proton distributions that would be expected from a first-order phase transition. Taken in combination, the hyper-order proton number fluctuations suggest that the structure of QCD matter at high baryon density, $\mu_{B}\sim 750$ MeV ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3 GeV) is starkly different from those at vanishing $\mu_{B}\sim 20$MeV ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV and higher).
Event-by-event proton multiplicity distributions for 0-40$\%$, 0-5$\%$ and 50-60$\%$ Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 3 GeV. The distributions are not corrected for proton and antiproton detection efficiency.
Proton factorial cumulants K4, K5 and K6 in 0-40$\%$ and 50-60$\%$ Au+Au collisions from $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3 - 200 GeV. At $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3 GeV, measurement is done with halfrapdity coverage (-0.5 $<$ y $<$ 0) while for rest of energies the rapidity coverage is (-0.5 $<$ y $<$ -0.5).
Proton factorial cumulants K4, K5 and K6 from UrQMD model (0-40$\%$ and 50-60$\%$ centrality) for Au+Au collisions from $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 3 - 200 GeV. UrQMD calculation for 3 GeVis with rapidity coverage (-0.5 $<$ y $<$ 0) while for rest of energies the rapidity coverage is (-0.5 $<$ y $<$ -0.5). In addition, two-component model (0-40$\%$) calculations for facorial cumulants are also given.
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CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BEAM-GAS SCATTERING, TWO PHOTON SCATTERING, TAU HEAVY LEPTON PAIR PRODUCTION, AND FOR RADIATIVE EFFECTS. THE 13 AND 17 GEV MEASUREMENTS WERE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED IN R. BRANDELIK ET AL., PL 83B, 261 (1979).
PRELIMINARY INCLUSIVE CHARGED PARTICLE DISTRIBUTIONS.
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