Rapidity Dependence of Pion Elliptic Flow at RHIC

The measured elliptic flow (v$_{2}$) of identified particles as a function of p$_{t}$ and centrality at RHIC suggests the created medium in Au+Au collisions achieves early local thermal equilibrium that is followed by hydrodynamic expansion. These measurements of identified particle v$_{2}$ have been limited, however, to a narrow region about mid-rapidity. Charged-hadron v$_{2}$ measurements show a significant reduction at forward pseudorapidities. It is not known if this $\eta$ dependence is a general feature of elliptic flow, or reflects other changes in the particle spectra in going to the forward region. The BRAHMS experiment provides unique capabilities to measure v$_{2}$ at forward rapidities. Using the BRAHMS multiplicity array to determine the v$_{2}$ event plane, identified particle elliptic flow can be measured using the BRAHMS spectrometers, with $0\le \eta \le 3.4$. This talk will discuss pion elliptic flow at $\eta$ = 0, 1, 2.7 and 3.4 from Run 4 Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV. In addition, the p$_t$ integrated flow for charged hadrons obtained using just the multiplicity array will be presented. This work was supported by the Office of Nuclear Physics of the U.S. Department of Energy.