Measuring differential flow angle fluctuations in relativistic nuclear collisions

Abstract

Recently studies of the differential nature of the flow angle fluctuations, known as event plane angular decorrelation, indicated that measurements that assume a common symmetry plane may need to consider the flow angle fluctuations effect. Using the HIJING and AMPT models, it is shown that the flow angle fluctuations measurements, obtained with the two- and three-subevents correlation method, could have significant non-flow effects associated with long- and short-range non-flow correlations. The current study demonstrates the four-subevents cumulant methods' ability to reduce the non-flow effects. It is further argued that the measurements using the four-subevents correlation method can be used to provide accurate quantification of the differential flow angle fluctuations.