Minijet thermalization and diffusion of transverse momentum correlation in high-energy heavy-ion collisions

Journal Article · Mon Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVC.81.031903· OSTI ID:21386658

Longgang, Pang; Qun, Wang ^[1]; Xinnian, Wang ^[2]; Rong, Xu ^[3]

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1. Interdisciplinary Center for Theoretical Study and Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China)
2. Nuclear Science Division, MS 70R0319, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
3. Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitaet, Max-von-Laue-Str. 1, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

Transverse momentum correlations in the azimuthal angle of hadrons produced owing to minijets are first studied within the HIJING Monte Carlo model in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Quenching of minijets during thermalization is shown to lead to significant diffusion (broadening) of the correlation. Evolution of the transverse momentum density fluctuation that gives rise to this correlation in azimuthal angle in the later stage of heavy-ion collisions is further investigated within a linearized diffusion-like equation and is shown to be determined by the shear viscosity of the evolving dense matter. This diffusion equation for the transverse momentum fluctuation is solved with initial values given by HIJING and together with the hydrodynamic equation for the bulk medium. The final transverse momentum correlation in azimuthal angle is calculated along the freeze-out hypersurface and is found to be further diffused for higher values of the shear viscosity to entropy density ratio, {eta}/s{approx}0.2-0.4. Therefore the final transverse momentum correlation in azimuthal angle can be used to study the thermalization of minijets in the early stage of heavy-ion collisions and the viscous effect in the hydrodynamic evolution of strongly coupled quark-gluon plasma.

• OSTI ID: 21386658
• Journal Information: Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 81; ISSN 0556-2813; ISSN PRVCAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
CALCULATION METHODS
CORRELATIONS
DENSITY
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DIFFUSION
DIFFUSION EQUATIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENTROPY
EQUATIONS
EVOLUTION
FLUCTUATIONS
FREEZING OUT
HADRONS
HEAVY ION REACTIONS
LINEAR MOMENTUM
MATTER
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUARK MATTER
QUENCHING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLOWING-DOWN
THERMALIZATION
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSVERSE MOMENTUM
VARIATIONS