Quantum Field Kinetics

Abstract

Using the general framework of quantum field theory, we derive basic equations of quantum field kinetics. The main goal of this approach is to compute the observables associated with a quark-gluon plasma at different stages of its evolution. We start by rewriting the integral equations for the field correlators in different forms, depending on the relevant dynamical features at each different stage. Next, two versions of perturbation expansion are considered. The first is best suited for the calculation of electromagnetic emission from chaotic, but not equilibrated, strongly interacting matter. The second version allows one to derive evolution equations, which are generalizations of the familiar QCD evolution equations, and provide a basis for the calculation of the initial quark and gluon distributions after the first hard interaction of the heavy ions.

13 pages, REVTeX, 2 postscript figures appended

Cited by in corpus (9)

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• Non-equilibrium QCD: Interplay of hard and soft dynamics in high-energy multi-gluon beams
• Scenario for Ultrarelativistic Nuclear Collisions: Space--Time Picture of Quantum Fluctuations and the Birth of QGP
• Partons in Phase Space
• Quark and gluon distributions at the earliest stage of heavy ion collision
• Scenario for Ultrarelativistic Nuclear Collisions: II. Geometry of quantum states at the earliest stage
• Scenario for Ultrarelativistic Nuclear Collisions: IV. Effective quark mass at the early stage
• Quantum collisions of finite-size ultrarelativistic nuclei
• Accessing the Space-Time Development of Heavy-Ion Collisions With Theory And Experiment