Azimuthal anisotropy at the relativistic heavy ion collider: the first and fourth harmonics

Phys Rev Lett. 2004 Feb 13;92(6):062301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.062301. Epub 2004 Feb 12.

Abstract

We report the first observations of the first harmonic (directed flow, v(1)) and the fourth harmonic (v(4)), in the azimuthal distribution of particles with respect to the reaction plane in Au+Au collisions at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Both measurements were done taking advantage of the large elliptic flow (v(2)) generated at RHIC. From the correlation of v(2) with v(1) it is determined that v(2) is positive, or in-plane. The integrated v(4) is about a factor of 10 smaller than v(2). For the sixth (v(6)) and eighth (v(8)) harmonics upper limits on the magnitudes are reported.