Physics – Nuclear Physics – Nuclear Theory
Scientific paper
2004-09-28
Phys.Rev.Lett.94:072302,2005
Physics
Nuclear Physics
Nuclear Theory
4 pages [updated to reflect final journal version: a paragraph of new discussion at the start of the "isotropization" section,
Scientific paper
10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.072302
Hydrodynamical modeling of heavy ion collisions at RHIC suggests that the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) "thermalizes" in a remarkably short time scale, about 0.6 fm/c. We argue that this should be viewed as indicating fast isotropization, but not necessarily complete thermalization, of the non-equilibrium QGP. Non-Abelian plasma instabilities can drive local isotropization of an anisotropic QGP on a time scale which is faster than ordinary perturbative scattering processes. As a result, we argue that theoretical expectations based on weak coupling analysis are not necessarily in conflict with hydrodynamic modeling of the early part of RHIC collisions, provided one recognizes the key role of non-Abelian plasma instabilities.
Arnold Peter
Lenaghan Jonathan
Moore Guy D.
Yaffe Laurence G.
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