Decoding the flow evolution in Au+Au reactions at $1.23 A$ GeV using hadron flow correlations and dileptons

Abstract

We investigate the development of the directed, $v_1$, and elliptic flow, $v_2$, in heavy ion collisions in mid-central Au+Au reactions at $E_\mathrm{lab}=1.23 A$ GeV. We demonstrate that the elliptic flow of hot and dense matter is initially positive ($v_2>0$) due to the early pressure gradient. This positive $v_2$ transfers its momentum to the spectators, which leads to the creation of the directed flow $v_1$. In turn, the spectator shadowing of the in-plane expansion leads to a preferred decoupling of hadrons in the out-of-plane direction and results in a negative $v_2$ for the observable final state hadrons. We propose a measurement of $v_1-v_2$ flow correlations and of the elliptic flow of dileptons as methods to pin down this evolution pattern. The elliptic flow of the dileptons allows then to determine the early-state EoS more precisely, because it avoids the strong modifications of the momentum distribution due to shadowing seen in the protons. This opens the unique opportunity for the HADES and CBM collaborations to measure the Equation-of-State directly at 2-3 times nuclear saturation density.