Flow at the SPS and RHIC as a Quark-Gluon Plasma Signature

TLDR

We have content for each. Let's aggregate: Background sentences: 1. "Radial and elliptic flow in noncentral heavy-ion collisions can constrain the effective equation of state (EOS) of the excited nuclear matter." 2. Combine: "Radial and elliptic flow in noncentral heavy-ion collisions constrain the equation of state of excited nuclear matter, yet the strong elliptic flow seen in early RHIC data does not yet conclusively signal quark‑gluon plasma pressure." That covers both. Purpose sentences: - "To this end, a model combining relativistic hydrodynamics and a hadronic transport code [Sorge, Phys.

Abstract

Radial and elliptic flow in noncentral heavy-ion collisions can constrain the effective equation of state (EOS) of the excited nuclear matter. To this end, a model combining relativistic hydrodynamics and a hadronic transport code [Sorge, Phys. Rev. C 52, 3291 (1995)] is developed. For an EOS with a first-order phase transition, the model reproduces both the radial and elliptic flow data at the SPS. With the EOS fixed from SPS data, we quantify predictions at RHIC where the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) pressure is expected to drive additional radial and elliptic flows. Currently, the strong elliptic flow observed in the first RHIC measurements does not conclusively signal this nascent QGP pressure.