Thermalization of quarks and gluons in heavy-ion collisions

Rudolph C. Hwa

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.32.637

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Thermalization of quarks and gluons in heavy-ion collisions

Rudolph C. Hwa

Institute of Theoretical Science and Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403

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Phys. Rev. D 32, 637 – Published 1 August, 1985

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.32.637

Abstract

The thermalization problem in relativistic heavy-ion collisions is considered. The initial momentum distribution of the quarks and gluons in a nucleus-nucleus collision before thermalization takes place is first determined. It is then argued that the relativistic Fokker-Planck equation is the appropriate transport equation to describe the time evolution of the quark-gluon system. In terms of a scaled time variable, the thermalization time is determined without fully solving the Fokker-Planck equation. The actual proper time of local thermalization is then estimated on the basis of some reasonable inputs on the soft interactions among quarks and gluons; the resultant value is of order 0.1 fm/c. The time for global (in rapidity) thermalization is longer.

References (10)

See papers on the subject in Quark Matter '83, proceedings of the Third International Conference on Ultrarelativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, Brookhaven National Laboratory, 1983, edited by T. W. Ludlam and H. E. Wegner [Nucl. Phys. A 418 (1984)]; in particular, J. B. Kogut, ibid. A 418, 381c (1984); H. Satz, ibid. A 418, 447c (1984).
Quark Matter '83 (Ref. 1); see, in particular, K. Kajantie, ibid. A 418, 41c (1984); L. McLerran, ibid. A 418, 401c (1984); G. Baym, ibid. A 418, 525c (1984); R. Raitio, ibid. A 418, 539c (1984).
R. C. Hwa, Nucl. Phys. A 418, 559c (1984).
R. C. Hwa, Phys. Rev. D 22, 1593 (1980).
R. C. Hwa and M. S. Zahir, Phys. Rev. D 31, 499 (1985).
U. Heinz, Nucl. Phys. A 418, 603c (1984).
P. Résibois and M. DeLeener, Classical Kinetic Theory of Fluids (Wiley, New York, 1977); E. M. Lifshitz and L. P. Pitaevskii, Physical Kinetics (Pergamon, Oxford, 1981).
Strictly, for the $y^{3}$ term in the expansion for $L_{B}^{sprime}$ (y) to have a positive coefficient, it is necessary that β > 1.9.
L. Foa`, Phys. Rep. 22, 1 (1975).
P. Carruthers, in Quark Matter '83 (Ref. 1) [Nucl. Phys. A 418, 501c (1984)].

[c1] See papers on the subject in Quark Matter '83, proceedings of the Third International Conference on Ultrarelativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, Brookhaven National Laboratory, 1983, edited by T. W. Ludlam and H. E. Wegner [Nucl. Phys. A 418 (1984)]; in particular, J. B. Kogut, ibid. A 418, 381c (1984); H. Satz, ibid. A 418, 447c (1984).

[c2] Quark Matter '83 (Ref. 1); see, in particular, K. Kajantie, ibid. A 418, 41c (1984); L. McLerran, ibid. A 418, 401c (1984); G. Baym, ibid. A 418, 525c (1984); R. Raitio, ibid. A 418, 539c (1984).

[c3] R. C. Hwa, Nucl. Phys. A 418, 559c (1984).

[c4] R. C. Hwa, Phys. Rev. D 22, 1593 (1980).

[c5] R. C. Hwa and M. S. Zahir, Phys. Rev. D 31, 499 (1985).

[c6] U. Heinz, Nucl. Phys. A 418, 603c (1984).

[c7] P. Résibois and M. DeLeener, Classical Kinetic Theory of Fluids (Wiley, New York, 1977); E. M. Lifshitz and L. P. Pitaevskii, Physical Kinetics (Pergamon, Oxford, 1981).

[c8] Strictly, for the $y^{3}$ term in the expansion for $L_{B}^{sprime}$ (y) to have a positive coefficient, it is necessary that β > 1.9.

[c9] L. Foa`, Phys. Rep. 22, 1 (1975).

[c10] P. Carruthers, in Quark Matter '83 (Ref. 1) [Nucl. Phys. A 418, 501c (1984)].

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Thermalization of quarks and gluons in heavy-ion collisions

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