Method for determining event-by-event elliptic flow fluctuations based on the first-order event plane in heavy-ion collisions

A new method is presented for determining event-by-event fluctuations of elliptic flow, v{sub 2}, using first-order event planes. By studying the event-by-event distributions of v{sub 2} observables and first-order event-plane observables, average flow and event-by-event flow fluctuations can be separately determined, making appropriate allowance for the effects of finite multiplicity and nonflow. The method has been tested with Monte Carlo simulations. The connection between flow fluctuations and fluctuations of the initial-state participant eccentricity is discussed.