Fluctuating initial condition and smoothening effect on elliptic and triangular flow

TL;DR

This paper investigates how smoothing initial conditions in heavy ion collision models affects elliptic and triangular flow, finding that flow observables are largely unaffected by smoothing methods.

Contribution

It demonstrates that smoothing Monte-Carlo Glauber initial conditions does not significantly alter elliptic and triangular flow results in hydrodynamic simulations.

Findings

Flow observables are insensitive to smoothing function form.

Elliptic and triangular flow remain largely unchanged after smoothing.

Smoothing parameter variations do not significantly impact flow results.

Abstract

In heavy ion collisions, event-by-event fluctuations in participating nucleon positions can lead to triangular flow. Generally, one uses Monte-Carlo Glauber model to obtain the participating nucleon positions. To use in a hydrodynamic model, the positions needs to be smoothened. We study the effect of smoothening of Glauber Monte-Carlo initial conditions on elliptic and triangular flow. It is shown that integrated as well as differential elliptic and triangular flow remain largely unaltered, irrespective of functional form of the smoothening function, or the smoothening parameter