Multiparticle azimuthal correlations

First observations of elliptic flow in Au - Au collisions at RHIC have been interpreted as evidence that the colliding system reaches thermal equilibrium. We discuss some of the arguments leading to this conclusion and show that a more accurate analysis is needed, which the standard flow analysis may not provide. We then present a new method of flow analysis, based on a systematic study of multiparticle azimuthal correlations. This method allows one to test quantitatively the collective behaviour of the interacting system. It has recently been applied by the STAR Collaboration at RHIC.SCOPUS: cp.j