Correlations between flow harmonics in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN = 2.76 TeV

Abstract

The Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) is the object of study of the ALICE experiment. To get a grip on some of its properties, the so-called \textit{flow harmonics} are studied. In this thesis the values of some of these harmonics, and the correlations between them are estimated using data recorded with the ALICE detector from Pb-Pb collisions with energies of $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 2.76$ TeV. An algorithm for the calculations needed to obtain these correlations, as presented in Ref.\cite{Algorithm}, is tested. An overview of the detector used to record the data, and of the mathematics used to estimate the flow harmonics and their correlations is given. The results show that the harmonics themselves behave as expected and that the algorithm did not produce accurate results. Some suggestions are given as to why it didn't and what could be done to improve the results.