Directed, elliptic and higher order flow harmonics of protons, deuterons and tritons in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 2.4$ GeV

TL;DR

This study measures flow coefficients of protons, deuterons, and tritons in Au+Au collisions at 2.4 GeV, providing detailed angular emission patterns that help constrain the equation-of-state of dense baryonic matter.

Contribution

First multi-differential analysis of flow coefficients up to sixth order for multiple particle species at this energy.

Findings

Flow coefficients vary with centrality, momentum, and rapidity.

Constructed detailed angular emission patterns for the first time at these energies.

Results improve constraints on the equation-of-state of dense baryonic matter.

Abstract

Flow coefficients $v_{n}$ of the orders $n = 1 - 6$ are measured with the High-Acceptance DiElectron Spectrometer (HADES) at GSI for protons, deuterons and tritons as a function of centrality, transverse momentum and rapidity in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 2.4$ GeV. Combining the information from the flow coefficients of all orders allows to construct for the first time, at collision energies of a few GeV, a multi-differential picture of the angular emission pattern of these particles. It reflects the complicated interplay between the effect of the central fireball pressure on the emission of particles and their subsequent interaction with spectator matter. The high precision information on higher order flow coefficients is a major step forward in constraining the equation-of-state of dense baryonic matter.