COLLECTIVE PROPERTIES OF THE NUCLEAR MATTER AT RHIC

The collective flow of particles produced in heavy-ion collisions offers valuable insights into the dynamics of the Quark–Gluon Plasma (QGP) medium. Flow coefficients can be measured to probe the medium as they are sensitive to its different properties. The directed flow (v₁) slope (dv₁/dy) of protons at mid-rapidity is expected to be sensitive to the first-order phase transition. The number of constituent quarks (NCQ) scaling of elliptic flow (v₂) can be regarded as a signature of the QGP formation. Triangular flow (v₃) typically arises from fluctuations and can offer constraints on the initial state geometry and fluctuations. The Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) is a versatile facility to collide a wide range of heavy-ion systems at various beam energies. In this paper, we will discuss selected results on the collective properties of nuclear matter from the STAR and PHENIX experiments at RHIC.