Checking Non-Flow Assumptions and Results via PHENIX Published Correlations in $p$$+$$p$, $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, ${}^3$He$+$Au at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV

Abstract

Recently the PHENIX Collaboration has made available two-particle correlation Fourier coefficients for multiple detector combinations in minimum bias p+p and 0-5% central p+Au, d+Au, 3He+Au collisions at 200 GeV [1]. Using these coefficients for three sets of two-particle correlations, azimuthal anisotropy coefficients $v_2$ and $v_3$ are extracted for midrapidity charged hadrons as a function of transverse momentum. In this paper, we use the available coefficients to explore various non-flow hypotheses as well as compare the results with theoretical model calculations. The non-flow methods fail basic closure tests with AMPT and PYTHIA/ANGANTYR, particularly when including correlations with particles in the low multiplicity light-projectile going direction. In data, the non-flow adjusted $v_2$ results are modestly lower in p+Au and the adjusted $v_3$ results are more significantly higher in p+Au and d+Au. However, the resulting higher values for the ratio $v_3/v_2$ in p+Au at RHIC compared to p+Pb at the LHC is additional evidence for a significant over-correction. Incorporating these additional checks, the conclusion that these flow coefficients are dominated by initial geometry coupled with final-state interactions (e.g.~hydrodynamic expansion of quark-gluon plasma) remains true, and explanations based on initial-state glasma are ruled out. The detailed balance between intrinsic and fluctuation-driven geometry and the exact role of weakly versus strongly-coupled pre-hydrodynamic evolution remains an open question for triangular flow, requiring further theoretical and experimental investigation.

14 pages, 13 figures, submitted for publication

References in corpus (9)

• Dihadron azimuthal correlations in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV
• Multi-system Bayesian constraints on the transport coefficients of QCD matter
• Bayesian analysis of heavy ion collisions with the heavy ion computational framework Trajectum
• Running the gamut of high energy nuclear collisions
• Do nuclear collisions create a locally equilibrated quark-gluon plasma?
• Longitudinal Decorrelation of Anisotropic Flows in Heavy-ion Collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider
• Kinematic dependence of azimuthal anisotropies in $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, ${}^3$He+Au at $\sqrt{s_{{}_{NN}}}$ = 200 GeV
• Energy dependence of longitudinal flow decorrelation from STAR
• Longitudinal eccentricity decorrelations in heavy ion collisions

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Rapidity dependence of initial state geometry and momentum correlations in p+Pb collisions
• Estimate of Background Baseline and Upper Limit on the Chiral Magnetic Effect in Isobar Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\text{NN}}}=200$ GeV at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider
• Review of nonflow estimation methods and uncertainties in relativistic heavy-ion collisions