Identified particle measurements at RHIC. Elucidating hadronization mechanisms for bulk partonic matter

Measurements of identified particle momentum spectra at √sNN 200 GeV are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the azimuthal dependence and the centrality dependence of hadron yields at intermediate transverse momentum (1.5 < pT < 5 GeV/c). The first measurements of the fourth harmonic term (v4) in the azimuthal variation of identified particle yields are shown. The recombination mechanism of hadron formation provides a consistent description of the dependence of these measurements on particle-type. (author)