Responses of multiparticle observables to multidimensional nuclear deformation in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

Relativistic heavy-ion collisions provide a unique opportunity to probe ground-state nuclear structure through its imprint on the initial collision geometry. We investigate how multiparticle observables respond to combined variations of quadrupole deformation, triaxiality, and hexadecapole deformation, using $^{129}$Xe+$^{129}$Xe collisions as a representative testing ground. We perform a joint analysis in the three-dimensional $(β_2,γ,β_4)$ parameter space and construct initial-state estimators for several flow and mean transverse momentum correlation observables. At the initial-state level, $ρ_2$ is primarily sensitive to $β_2$ and $γ$, with its sensitivity to $γ$ enhanced at nonzero $β_2$. The nonlinear response coefficient $χ_{4,22}$ is predominantly sensitive to $β_4$, while its dependence on $β_2$ and $γ$ remains comparatively weak. Higher-order correlators exhibit more complex multidimensional response patterns; in particular, $ρ_{224}$ shows a dependence on $γ$ and $β_4$ that becomes more pronounced at finite $β_2$. We further employ the iEBE-VISHNU hybrid model to examine whether these deformation sensitivities survive the subsequent dynamical evolution. The final-state calculations indicate that the sensitivity of $ρ_2$ to $β_2$ and $γ$ is largely preserved, whereas the $β_4$ sensitivity of $χ_{4,22}$ is substantially reduced. For the other higher-order observables, the initial-state sensitivities are modified by the evolution or cannot be resolved with the present statistics.