We propose a method which enables a QCD-based calculation of a relaxation time for a dissipative current in the causal and dissipative hydrodynamic equation derived by Israel and Stewart. We point out that the Israel-Stewart equation is not unique as a causal and dissipative hydrodynamic equation, and the form of the causal and dissipative hydrodynamic equation is determined by the shape of a spectral function reflecting the properties of elementary excitations in the system we consider. Our method utilizes a relaxation function, which can be calculated from QCD using the linear response theory. We show that the relaxation function can be derived from a spectral function for a microscopic representation of the dissipative current. We also show that the Israel-Stewart equation is acceptable only as long as the calculated relaxation function is approximated well by a exponentially damping function, and the relaxation time can be obtained as its damping time constant. Taking a baryon-number dissipative current of a plasma consisting of charm quarks and gluons as a simple example, we present the first calculation of the relaxation function with use of the spectral function derived employing the quenched lattice QCD together with the maximum entropy method. The calculated relaxation function shows a strongly-oscillation damping behaviour due to the charmed vector hadron $J/Ψ$ surviving above the deconfinement phase transition temperature in QCD. This result suggests that the applicability of the Israel-Stewart equation to the baryon-number dissipative current of the charm quark-gluon plasma is quite doubtful. We present an idea for the improvement of the Israel-Stewart equation by deriving the hydrodynamic equation consistent with the strongly-oscillation damping relaxation function.
Using a temperature-dependent potential obtained from lattice gauge calculations, we study the stability of heavy quarkonia in the quark-gluon plasma. We find that only the Upsilon(1S) and the eta_b(1S) are bound in the quark-gluon plasma, and have a small binding energy. The quark-gluon plasma may be revealed by an Upsilon(1S) dilepton peak with an invariant mass close to twice the current b quark mass, which is lower than the Upsilon(1S) mass in free space. The quarkonia Upsilon(1S) and eta_b(1S) can dissociate by collision with quarks and gluons in the quark-gluon plasma. We evaluate the di…
We follow Quark-gluon transport theory and analyse singularities of the ultra-relativistic and spherical expanding quark-gluon plasma. Within the linearized QCD oscillations and instabilities of the ultra-relativistic and spherical symmetric expanding quark-gluon plasma near global thermodynamical equilibrium are investigated in dependence on a chemical potential mu(T) of non-strange light quarks and antiquarks, a strange quark mass m_s, a temperature T and a hydrodynamical velocity $u$. We calculate the chromoelectric permeability tensor for the quark-gluon plasma at rest and ultra-relativist…
An elementary introduction to the physics of quark-gluon plasma is given. We start with a sketchy presentation of the Quantum Chromodynamics which is the fundamental theory of strong interactions. The structure of hadrons built up of quarks and gluons is briefly discussed with a special emphasis on the confinement hypothesis. Then, we explain what is the quark-gluon plasma and consider why and when the hadrons can dissolve liberating the quarks and gluons. The heavy-ion collisions at high-energies, which provide a unique opportunity to get a droplet of the quark-gluon plasma in the terrestrial…
Both electric and magnetic screening masses in a nonperturbative gluonic background are investigated using operator product expansion. The magnetic screening mass is found to agree with lattice results whereas the electric screening mass is somewhat smaller than the one found on the lattice.
Pressure isotropization of an equilibrating quark-gluon plasma produced in relativistic heavy ion collisions is studied within the framework of a multi-phase transport model (AMPT). The time evolution of the bulk properties of the quark-gluon plasma is found to depend on its expansion dynamics and hadronization scheme as well as the scattering cross sections among quarks and gluons. It is further found that the pressure isotropy of the produced quark-gluon plasma can only be achieved temporarily, indicating that there is only partial thermalization during the time evolution of the quark-gluon …
We show that the extensively studied equation of state (EOS) of strongly coupled QED plasma fits the recent lattice EOS data of gluon plasma remarkably well, with appropriate modifications to take account of color degrees of freedom and running coupling constant. Hence we conclude that the quark gluon plasma near the critical temperature is a strongly coupled color-Coulombic plasma.
A thermodynamically consistent density dependent quark mass model has been used to study the velocity of sound in a hot quark-gluon plasma. The results are compared with the recent lattice data.
By considering the Debye screening and damping rate of gluons, the viscosity coefficient of the quark-gluon plasma was evaluated via real-time finite temperature QCD in the relaxation time approximation at finite temperature and chemical potential . The results show that both the damping rate and the chemical potential cause considerable enhancements to the viscosity coefficient of hot dense quark-gluon plasma.
We study the radiative correction to $p_T$-broadening of a fast quark in a quark-gluon plasma beyond the soft gluon approximation. We find that the radiative processes can suppress considerably $p_T$-broadening. This differs dramatically from previous calculations to logarithmic accuracy in the soft gluon approximation, predicting a considerable enhancement of $p_T$-broadening.
The fast simultaneous hadronization and chemical freeze out of supercooled quark-gluon plasma, created in relativistic heavy ion collisions, leads to the re-heating of the expanding matter and to the change in a collective flow profile. We use the assumption of statistical nature of the hadronization process, and study quantitatively the freeze out in the framework of hydrodynamical Bjorken model with different quark-gluon plasma equations of state.
Using the kinetic theory we discuss how the particle and energy densities of the quark-gluon plasma fluctuate in a space-time cell. The fluctuations in the equilibrium plasma and in that one from the early stage of ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions are estimated. Within the physically interesting values of the parameters involved the fluctuations appear sizeable in both cases.
Jets are a promising way to probe the non-equilibrium physics of quark-gluon plasma (QGP). We study how an out-of-equilibrium medium induces a jet particle to emit gluons. Evaluation of the emission rate is complicated by Weibel instabilities which lead to an exponential growth of chromomagnetic fields. Deriving a quantum field theoretical description of an unstable QGP medium, we show that the chromomagnetic fields deflect jet particles during the gluon emission.
The density of states and energy spectrum of the gluon radiation are calculated for the color current of an expanding hydrodynamic skyrmion in the quark gluon plasma with a semiclassical method. Results are compared with those in literatures.
We find that in an opaque quark-gluon plasma, significant particle production at high transverse momenta can occur via acceleration of (initially) lower-momentum partons. This new mechanism, which is the opposite of parton energy loss (jet quenching), has important implications for observables, such as elliptic flow, in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC energies and above.
Chromodynamic fluctuations in the collisionless quark-gluon plasma are found as a solution of the initial value linearized problem. The stable and unstable plasmas are discussed.
Since the quark-gluon plasma, which is unstable due to anisotropic momentum distribution, evolves fast in time, plasma's characteristics have to be studied as initial value problems. The chromodynamic fluctuations and the momentum broadening of a fast parton traversing the plasma are discussed here. The two quantities are shown to exponentially grow in time.
Using kinetic theory, we analyze the interplay of elastic and inelastic collisions in the thermalization of the quark-gluon plasma. The main focus is the dynamics and equilibration of long wavelength modes.
Brief review of the hadronic probes that are used to diagnose the quark-gluon plasma produced in relativistic heavy ion collisions and interrogate its properties. Emphasis is placed on probes that have significantly impacted our understanding of the nature of the quark-gluon plasma and confirmed its formation.
Charge correlations in lattice gauge calculations suggest that up, down and strange charges move independently in the QGP (quark-gluon plasma), and that the density of such charges is similar to what is expected from simple thermal arguments. Here, we show how specific elements of the charge-charge correlation matrix in the QGP survive hadronization and become manifest in final-state charge-charge correlation measurements.
We study a smooth crossover transition in the gas of quark-gluon bags. The equation of state at high temperature is that of the quark-gluon plasma. However, the system consists of the bags with finite volumes which are defined by the model parameters of the mass-volume bag spectrum. Possible structures in this {\it cluster} quark-gluon plasma are classified.
A calculation of the thermal quark propagator is presented taking the gluon condensate above the critical temperature into account. The quark dispersion relation following from this propagator is derived.
We present a calculation of the thermal quark propagator taking the gluon condensate above the critical temperature into account. The quark dispersion relation following from this propagator, describing two massive modes, is discussed.
We study the color randomization of two-gluon states produced after splitting of a primary fast gluon in the quark-gluon plasma. We find that for the LHC conditions the color randomization of the $gg$ pairs is rather slow. At jet energies $E=100$ and $500$ GeV, for typical jet path length in the plasma in central Pb+Pb collisions, the $SU(3)$-multiplet averaged color Casimir of the $gg$ pair differs considerably from its value $2N_c$ for a fully randomized $gg$ state. Our calculations of the energy dependence for generation of the nearly collinear decuplet $gg$ states, that can lead to the bar…
The implications of a numerical error in the photon production rate on the direct photon spectrum of a chemically non-equilibrated quark-gluon plasma are discussed.
The quark-gluon plasma, possibly created in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions, is a strongly interacting many-body parton system. By comparison with strongly coupled electromagnetic plasmas (classical and non-relativistic) it is concluded that the quark-gluon plasma could be in the liquid phase. As an example for a strongly coupled plasma, complex plasmas, which show liquid and even solid phases, are discussed briefly. Furthermore, methods based on correlation functions for confirming and investigating the quark-gluon-plasma liquid are presented. Finally, consequences of the strong coupli…
We estimate the survival probability of $J/ψ$ in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, using both short-distance QCD and nuclear absorption mechanism. The suppression is found to be almost 100 percent for a thermally equilibrating quark-gluon plasma. The measurement of such a huge suppression of $J/ψ$ may suggest the existence of a deconfined partonic medium, possibly a thermalised quark-gluon plasma, at RHIC.
It is shown that in ideal relativistic hydrodynamics a phase transition from hadron to quark and gluon degrees of freedom in the nuclear matter equation of state leads to a minimum in the excitation function of the transverse collective flow.
We study the radiative correction to $p_\perp$-broadening of a fast quark in a quark-gluon plasma beyond the soft gluon approximation. We find that the radiative contribution to quark $\langle p_\perp^2\rangle$ for RHIC and LHC conditions is negative.
The observational consequences of certain broken symmetries in a thermalised quark gluon plasma are elucidated. The signature under study is the spectrum of dileptons radiating from the plasma, through gluon fusion. Being a pure medium effect, this channel is non-vanishing only in plasmas with explicitly broken charge conjugation invariance. The emission rates are also sensitive to rotational invariance through the constraints imposed by Yang's theorem. This theorem is interpreted in the medium via the destructive interference between various multiple scattering diagrams obtained in the specta…
We study the behavior of the scalar glueball inside a Quark Gluon Plasma. We follow the fireball from the plasma phase to the hadronic phase and observe that an interesting phenomenon might occur which could have experimental consequences as a signature of Quark Gluon Plasma.
A calculation of the thermal quark propagator is presented taking the gluon condensate above the critical temperature into account. The quark dispersion relation and the dilepton production following from this propagator are derived.
We study the influence of the magnetic field on the photon emission from the quark-gluon plasma created in $AA$ collisions. We find that even for very optimistic assumption on the magnitude of the magnetic field for noncentral $AA$ collisions the effect of magnetic field is very small.
We calculate the probability distribution P(k_\perp) for the momentum perpendicular to its original direction of motion that an energetic quark or gluon picks up as it propagates through weakly coupled quark-gluon plasma in thermal equilibrium.
Recent experiments at RHIC and theoretical considerations indicate that the quark-gluon plasma, present in the fireball of relativistic heavy-ion collisions, might be in a liquid phase. The liquid state can be identified by characteristic correlation and structure functions. Here definitions of the structure functions and pair correlations of the quark-gluon plasma are presented as well as perturbative results. These definitions might be useful for verifying the quark-gluon-plasma liquid in QCD lattice calculations.
Initially produced quark-gluon matter at RHIC and LHC does not have a temperature. A quark-gluon plasma has a high temperature. From this quark-gluon matter to the quark-gluon plasma is the early thermalization or the rapid creation of temperature. Elastic three-parton scattering plays a key role in the process. The temperature originates from the two-parton scattering, the three-parton scattering, the four-parton scattering and so forth in quark-gluon matter.
We study dimuonium $(μ^+μ^-)$ production in the quark-gluon plasma created in relativistic heavy ion collisions. The production is controlled by the process $q\bar q\rightarrow (μ^+μ^-)g$, and the dimuonium motion in the plasma is described by a transport equation. While the electrodynamics dominated dimuonium yield is not high enough, the transverse energy distribution carries the information of the plasma at RHIC and LHC energies.
$\hat q$ is the average squared transverse momentum transfer per unit length to a high-energy particle traversing a QCD medium such as a quark-gluon plasma. We find the (UV-regulated) value of $\hat q$ to leading order in the weak coupling limit, $\alphas(T) \ll 1$. We then use this value to generalize previous analytic results on the gluon bremsstrahlung and pair production rates for massless high-energy particles in a weakly-coupled quark-gluon plasma, at next-to-leading logarithmic order.
We study the rotational collective motion of the quark-gluon plasma in relativistic heavy ion collisions using the widely-adopted AMPT (A Multi-Phase Transport) model. The global angular momentum, the average vorticity carried by the quark-gluon plasma, and the locally defined vorticity fields are computed for Au+Au collisions, with detailed information of their time evolution, spatial distribution, as well as the dependence on beam energy and collision centrality.
The dilepton production rate from the quark-gluon plasma is calculated from the imaginary part of the photon self energy using a quark propagator that contains the gluon condensate. The low mass dilepton rate obtained in this way exhibits interesting structures (peaks and gaps), which might be observable at RHIC and LHC.
The incorporation of running $α_s$ for the gluon emission vertex in calculations of radiative parton energy loss in a quark-gluon plasma is discussed. It is argued that the virtuality scale for running $α_s$ for induced gluon emission is determined by the square of the transverse momentum of the emitted gluon rather than by the square of the invariant mass of the final two-parton state often used in the literature.
The quark-gluon plasma (QGP) excitations, corresponding to the scalar and pseudoscalar meson quantum numbers, for different temperatures are calculated. Analysis is performed in the Hard Thermal Loop (HTL) Approximation and leads to a better understanding of the excitations of QGP in the deconfined phase and is also of relevance for lattice studies.
This is a critical review of the various observables that have been proposed to signal the change from dense hadronic matter to a quark-gluon plasma at high temperature or baryon density. I discuss current models of quark-gluon plasma formation in relativistic heavy ion collisions and analyze the virtues and ambiguities of various signatures. [The author especially invites comments by interested readers concerning possible inaccuracies or omissions before this review appears in print.]
We estimate the radiative energy-loss of heavy quarks, produced from the initial fusion of partons, while propagating in a quark-gluon plasma which may be formed in the wake of relativistic heavy ion collisions. We find that the radiative energy-loss for heavy quarks is larger than the collisional energy-loss for all energies. We point out the consequences on possible signals of the quark-gluon plasma.
The rate of quark-gluon plasma droplet nucleation in superheated hadronic matter is calculated within the MIT bag model. The requirements of color singletness and (to less extent) fixed momentum suppress the nucleation rate by many orders of magnitude, making thermal nucleation of quark-gluon plasma droplets unlikely in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions if the transition is first order and reasonably described by the bag model.
We study the electromagnetic response of the quark-gluon plasma in AA-collisions at RHIC and LHC energies for a realistic space-time evolution of the plasma fireball. We demonstrate that for a realistic electric conductivity the electromagnetic response of the plasma is in a quantum regime when the induced electric current does not generate a classical electromagnetic field, and can only lead to a rare emission of single photons.
We calculate the gluon dissociation cross-section in an anisotropic quark gluon plasma expected to be formed due relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions. The initial rapid longitudinal expansion of the system leads to momentum space anisotropy due which the observables are affected in such a system. We show that the thermally weighted cross-section of gluon dissociation undergoes modification in anisotropic plasma leading to a decreased probability of $J/ψ$ suppression both for RHIC and LHC energies. The dependence of the cross section as well as the survival probability on the direction of pr…
We suggest a new mechanism for the energy loss of fast heavy quarks in quark-gluon plasma. This mechanism is based on pion production caused by the anomalous chromomagnetic quark-gluon-pion interaction induced by strong topological fluctuations of the gluon fields represented by instantons. We found that this mechanism gives a considerable contribution to the collisional energy loss of a heavy quark in quark-gluon plasma, which shows a nontrivial role of nonperturbative phenomena in strongly interacting quark-gluon plasma.
We study a pure gluon plasma in the context of quasiparticle models, where the plasma is considered as an ideal gas of massive bosons. In order to reproduce SU(3) gauge field lattice data within such a framework, we review briefly the necessity to use a temperature-dependent gluon mass which accounts for color interactions between the gluons near $T_{\text{c}}$ and agrees with perturbative QCD at large temperatures. Consequently, we discuss the thermodynamics of systems with temperature-dependent Hamiltonians and clarify the situation about the possible solutions proposed in the literature to …
Jets and photons could play an important role in finding the transport coefficients of the quark-gluon plasma. To this end we analyze their interaction with a non-equilibrium quark-gluon plasma. Using new field-theoretical tools we derive two-point correlators for the plasma which show how instabilities evolve in time. This allows us, for the first time, to derive finite rates of interaction with the medium. We furthermore show that coherent, long-wavelength instability fields in the Abelian limit do not modify the rate of photon emission or jet-medium interaction.
A Lagrangian density for viscous quark-gluon plasma has been constructed within the fluid-like QCD framework. Gauge symmetry is preserved for all terms inside the Lagrangian, except for the viscous term. The transition mechanism from point particle field to fluid field, and vice versa, is discussed. The energy momentum tensor that is relevant for the gluonic plasma having the nature of fluid bulk of gluon sea is derived within the model. By imposing conservation law in the energy momentum tensor, shear viscosity appears as extractable from the equation.
Assuming that rho-mesons exist in a quark-gluon plasma close to the QCD phase transition, we calculate the dilepton production rate from quark-antiquark annihilation via a rho-meson state using Vector Meson Dominance. The result is compared to the rates from direct quark-antiquark annihilation and from pion annihilation. Furthermore we discuss the suppression of low mass dileptons if the quarks assume an effective mass in the quark-gluon plasma.
The energy densities achieved during central collisions of large nuclei at the AGS may be high enough to allow the formation of quark--gluon plasma. We propose that most collisions at AGS energies produce superheated hadronic matter, but in rare events a droplet of quark--gluon plasma is nucleated. We estimate the probability of this to occur based on homogeneous and inhomogeneous nucleation theory and discuss possible experimental signals.
In this talk I discuss collective excitations that carry fermion quantum numbers. Such excitations occur in the quark-gluon plasma and can also be produced in cold atom systems under special conditions.
