Event shape sorting

TL;DR

The paper introduces a new event sorting method based on azimuthal anisotropy in multiparticle production, useful for analyzing heavy-ion collision data by grouping similar event distributions.

Contribution

A novel, general event sorting technique that considers entire histograms of anisotropy, enhancing analysis of flow and correlation studies in heavy-ion collisions.

Findings

Automatically sorts events with similar hadron distribution histograms

Considers all orders of anisotropy in the analysis

Facilitates comparison between experimental data and theoretical models

Abstract

We propose a novel method for sorting events of multiparticle production according to the azimuthal anisotropy of their momentum distribution. Although the method is quite general, we advocate its use in analysis of ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions where large number of hadrons is produced. The advantage of our method is that it can automatically sort out samples of events with histograms that indicate similar distributions of hadrons. It takes into account the whole measured histograms with all orders of anisotropy instead of a specific observable (e.g. $v_2$, $v_3$, $q_2$). It can be used for more exclusive experimental studies of flow anisotropies which are then more easily compared to theoretical calculations. It may also be useful in the construction of mixed-events background for correlation studies as it allows to select events with similar momentum distribution.