arXiv subjects

Li Yan

Publications and source records attributed to Li Yan.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Fluid dynamics of out of equilibrium boost invariant plasmas

We establish a set of equations for moments of the distribution function. In the relaxation time approximations, these moments obey a coupled set of equations that can be truncated order-by-order. Solving the equations of moments, we are able to identify an attractor solution that controls a transition from a free streaming fixed point to a hydrodynamic fixed point. In particular, this attractor solution provides a renormalization of the effective value of the shear viscosity to entropy density ratio, $η/s$, taking into account off-equilibrium effects.

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arXiv2018

A flow paradigm in heavy-ion collisions

The success of hydrodynamics in high energy heavy-ion collisions leads to a flow paradigm, to understand the observed features of harmonic flow in terms of the medium collective expansion regarding initial state geometrical properties. In this review, we present some essential ingredients in the flow paradigm, including the hydrodynamic modeling, the characterization of initial state geometry and the medium response relations. The extension of the flow paradigm to small colliding systems is also discussed.

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arXiv2018

Nonlinear coupling of flow harmonics: Hexagonal flow and beyond

Higher Fourier harmonics of anisotropic flow ($v_4$ and beyond) get large contributions induced by elliptic and triangular flow through nonlinear response. We present a general framework of nonlinear hydrodynamic response which encompasses the existing one, and allows to take into account the mutual correlation between the nonlinear couplings affecting Fourier harmonics of any order. Using Large Hadron Collider data on Pb+Pb collisions at ~$\sqrt[]{s}=2.76$ TeV, we perform an application of our formalism to hexagonal flow, $v_6$, a coefficient affected by several nonlinear contributions which are of the same order of magnitude. We obtain the first experimental measure of the coefficient $χ_{624}$, which couples $v_6$ to $v_2$ and $v_4$. This is achieved by putting together the information from several analyses: event-plane correlations, symmetric cumulants, as well as new higher-order moments recently analyzed by the ALICE collaboration. The value of $χ_{624}$ extracted from data is in fair agreement with hydrodynamic calculations, although with large error bars, which would be dramatically reduced by a dedicated analysis. We argue that within our formalism the nonlinear structure of a given higher harmonic can be determined more accurately than the harmonic itself, and we emphasize potential applications to future measurements of $v_7$ and $v_8$.

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arXiv2018

Axial Charge Fluctuation and Chiral Magnetic Effect from Stochastic Hydrodynamics

The amount of axial charge produced in heavy ion collisions is one of the key quantities in understanding chiral magnetic effect. Current phenomenological studies assume large axial charge chemical potential $μ_5$ produced in Glasma phase and assume the conservation of axial charge throughout the evolution, which is valid in the long relaxation time limit. Based on the solution of stochastic hydrodynamics with phenomenological parameters, our study suggests that the situation of heavy ion collisions may be close to the opposite limit, in which axial charge fluctuation approaches thermodynamic limit. Using $μ_5$ set by the thermodynamic limit for chiral magnetic effect and a background from parity-even $v_1$, we obtain a reasonable description of the centrality dependence of charged particle correlation measured in experiment.

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arXiv2017

Jet-medium interaction and the Gubser flow

We study the effects of expansion and viscous corrections on the hydrodynamical medium response to a high energy jet parton. More specifically, using a semi-analytical Gubser solution to relativistic fluid dynamics, modifications to the formed Mach cone, diffusive wake, and the momentum flow of the medium response along and perpendicular to the jet particle, are analyzed mode-by-mode. This should provide intuition and guidance for analyses of the experimentally measured jet sub-structure in heavy-ion collisions.

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arXiv2017

Fluid dynamics of out of equilibrium boost invariant plasmas

By solving a simple kinetic equation, in the relaxation time approximation, and for a particular set of moments of the distribution function, we establish a set of equations which, on the one hand, capture exactly the dynamics of the kinetic equation, and, on the other hand, coincide with the hierarchy of equations of viscous hydrodynamics, to arbitrary order in the viscous corrections. This correspondence sheds light on the underlying mechanism responsible for the apparent success of hydrodynamics in regimes that are far from local equilibrium.

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arXiv2017

Jet-medium interaction and conformal relativistic fluid dynamics

A formalism to study the mode-by-mode response to the energy deposition of external hard partons propagating in a relativistic fluid is developed, based on a semi-analytical solution of conformal fluid-dynamics. The soft particle production resulting from the jet-medium interaction is calculated and the recoil of the viscous medium is studied for different orientations of the relativistic jets, and for different values of the specific shear viscosity $η/s$.

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arXiv2017

Onset of hydrodynamics for a quark-gluon plasma from the evolution of moments of distribution functions

The pre-equilibrium evolution of a quark-gluon plasma produced in a heavy-ion collision is studied in the framework of kinetic theory. We discuss the approach to local thermal equilibrium, and the onset of hydrodynamics, in terms of a particular set of moments of the distribution function. These moments quantify the momentum anisotropies to a finer degree than the commonly used ratio of longitudinal to transverse pressures. They are found to be in direct correspondence with viscous corrections of hydrodynamics, and provide therefore an alternative measure of these corrections in terms of the distortion of the momentum distribution. As an application, we study the evolution of these moments by solving the Boltzmann equation for a boost invariant expanding system, first analytically in the relaxation time approximation, and then numerically for a quark-gluon plasma within the small angle approximation to the collision kernel.

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arXiv2017

Hydrodynamic modeling of heavy-ion collisions

This contribution presents a theoretical overview of hydrodynamic modelling of heavy-ion collisions, with highlights on some recent developments. In particular, the formulation of anisotropic hydrodynamics, the role of hydrodynamic fluctuations, and the non-linear coupling of flow coefficients will be discussed.

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arXiv2017

Skewness of elliptic flow fluctuations

Using event-by-event hydrodynamic calculations, we find that the fluctuations of the elliptic flow ($v_2$) in the reaction plane have a negative skew. We compare the skewness of $v_2$ fluctuations to that of initial eccentricity fluctuations. We show that skewness is the main effect lifting the degeneracy between higher-order cumulants, with negative skew corresponding to the hierarchy $v_2\{4\}>v_2\{6\}$ observed in Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC. We describe how the skewness can be measured experimentally and show that hydrodynamics naturally reproduces its magnitude and centrality dependence.

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arXiv2016

The fluctuations of quadrangular flow

The ATLAS Collaboration has measured for the first time the fourth cumulant of quadrangular flow, $v_4\{4\}^4$. Unlike the fourth cumulants of elliptic and triangular flows, it presents a change of sign above 30\% centrality. We show that this change of sign is predicted by event-by-event hydrodynamics. We argue that it results from the combined effects of a nonlinear hydrodynamic response, which couples quadrangular flow to elliptic flow, and elliptic flow fluctuations.

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arXiv2016

Symmetric cumulants and event-plane correlations in Pb+Pb collisions

The ALICE Collaboration has recently measured the correlations between amplitudes of anisotropic flow in different Fourier harmonics, referred to as symmetric cumulants. We derive approximate relations between symmetric cumulants involving $v_4$ and $v_5$ and the event-plane correlations measured by ATLAS. The validity of these relations is tested using event-by-event hydrodynamic calculations. The corresponding results are in better agreement with ALICE data than existing hydrodynamic predictions. We make quantitative predictions for three symmetric cumulants which are not yet measured.

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arXiv2016

Hydrodynamical noise and Gubser flow

Hydrodynamical noise is introduced on top of Gubser's analytical solution to viscous hydrodynamics. With respect to the ultra-central collision events of Pb-Pb, p-Pb and p-p at the LHC energies, we solve the evolution of noisy fluid systems and calculate the radial flow velocity correlations. We show that the absolute amplitude of the hydrodynamical noise is determined by the multiplicity of the collision event. The evolution of azimuthal anisotropies, which is related to the generation of harmonic flow, receives finite enhancements from hydrodynamical noise. Although it is strongest in the p-p systems, the effect of hydrodynamical noise on flow harmonics is found to be negligible, especially in the ultra-central Pb-Pb collisions. For the short-range correlations, hydrodynamical noise contributes to the formation of a near-side peak on top of the correlation structure originated from initial state fluctuations. The shape of the peak is affected by the strength of hydrodynamical noise, whose height and width grow from the Pb-Pb system to the p-Pb and p-p systems.

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arXiv2016

Linear and cubic response to the initial eccentricity in heavy-ion collisions

We study the relation between elliptic flow, $v_2$ and the initial eccentricity, $\varepsilon_2$, in heavy-ion collisions, using hydrodynamic simulations. Significant deviations from linear eccentricity scaling are seen in more peripheral collisions. We identify the mechanism responsible for these deviations as a cubic response, which we argue is a generic property of the hydrodynamic response to the initial density profile. The cubic response increases elliptic flow fluctuations, thereby improving agreement of initial condition models with experimental data.

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arXiv2016

Nonlinear hydrodynamic response confronts LHC data

Higher order harmonic flow $v_n$ (with $n\ge4$) in heavy-ion collisions can be measured either with respect to their own plane, or with respect to a plane constructed using lower-order harmonics. By assuming that higher flow harmonics are the superposition of medium nonlinear and linear responses to initial anisotropies, we propose a set of nonlinear response coefficients $χ_n$'s, which are independent of initial state by construction. In experiments, $χ_n$'s can be extracted as the ratio between higher order harmonic flow measured in the plane constructed by $v_2$ and $v_3$, and moments of lower order harmonic flow. Simulations with single-shot hydrodynamics and AMPT model lead to results of these nonlinear response coefficients in good agreement with the experimental data at the LHC energy. Predictions for $v_7$ and $v_8$ measured with respect to plane of lower order harmonics are given accordingly.

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arXiv2015

Plane correlations in small colliding systems

I propose event-plane correlations as a test of collectivity in small colliding systems: In d-Au and $^3$He-Au collisions, I predict a strong anti-correlation between elliptic and triangular flow, generated by the geometry of the light projectile. A significant anti-correlation is also predicted in central p-Pb collisions at the LHC, which is solely generated by fluctuations. Similar, but stronger correlation patterns are predicted in correlations involving dipolar flow.

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arXiv2015

$v_4$, $v_5$, $v_6$, $v_7$: nonlinear hydrodynamic response versus LHC data

Higher harmonics of anisotropic flow ($v_n$ with $n\ge 4$) in heavy-ion collisions can be measured either with respect to their own plane, or with respect to a plane constructed using lower-order harmonics. We explain how such measurements are related to event-plane correlations. We show that CMS data on $v_4$ and $v_6$ are compatible with ATLAS data on event-plane correlations. If one assumes that higher harmonics are the superposition of non-linear and linear responses, then the linear and non-linear parts can be isolated under fairly general assumptions. By combining analyses of higher harmonics with analyses of $v_2$ and $v_3$, one can eliminate the uncertainty from initial conditions and define quantities that only involve nonlinear hydrodynamic response coefficients. Experimental data on $v_4$, $v_5$ and $v_6$ are in good agreement with hydrodynamic calculations. We argue that $v_7$ can be measured with respect to elliptic and triangular flow. We present predictions for $v_7$ versus centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC.

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arXiv2015

Azimuthal Anisotropy Distributions in High-Energy Collisions

Elliptic flow in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions results from the hydrodynamic response to the spatial anisotropy of the initial density profile. A long-standing problem in the interpretation of flow data is that uncertainties in the initial anisotropy are mingled with uncertainties in the response. We argue that the non-Gaussianity of flow fluctuations in small systems can be used to disentangle the initial state from the response. We apply this method to recent measurements of anisotropic flow in Pb+Pb and p+Pb collisions at the LHC. The response coefficient is found to decrease mildly as the system becomes smaller. This mild decrease is consistent with a low value of the ratio of viscosity over entropy.

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