Using a relativistic hadron transport model, we investigate the utility of the elliptic flow excitation function as a probe for the stiffness of nuclear matter and for the onset of a possible quark-gluon-plasma phase transition at alternating-gradient synchrotron energies $1\lesssim E_{\mathrm{beam}}\lesssim 11A\mathrm{GeV}$. The excitation function shows a strong dependence on the nuclear equation of state, and exhibits characteristic signatures which could signal the onset of the transition.

• Received 26 March 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.2438