Dynamics of the QCD phase transition

Journal Article · Mon Aug 03 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Physical Review Letters; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.69.737· OSTI ID:7012285

Csernai, L P ^[1]; Kapusta, J I ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Bergen, N-5007 Bergen (Norway)
2. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 (United States)

We apply a recently computed nucleation rate to a first-order deconfinement/chiral-symmetry restoring phase transition in a set of rate equations to study the time evolution of expanding quark-gluon plasma as it converts to hadronic matter. At energies of the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Colliders, the system must supercool about 20% below {ital T}{sub {ital c}} before nucleation of hadronic bubbles is sufficiently rapid to overcome the expansion rate. The system reheats to near {ital T}{sub {ital c}}, nucleation turns off, and the transition is completed by the growth of previously nucleated bubbles. Based on Bjorken hydrodynamics and on current parameter values, we estimate that the transition generates 30% extra entropy.

• DOE Contract Number: FG02-87ER40328
• OSTI ID: 7012285
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review Letters; (United States) Vol. 69:5; ISSN PRLTA; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

662230* -- Quantum Chromodynamics-- (1992-)
663450 -- Heavy-Ion-Induced Reactions & Scattering-- (1992-)
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
CRITICAL TEMPERATURE
FIELD THEORIES
MATTER
NUCLEATION
PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA
QUANTUM CHROMODYNAMICS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
QUARK MATTER
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TIME DEPENDENCE
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE