A Study of Parton Energy Loss in Au+Au Collisions at RHIC using Transport Theory

Abstract

Parton energy loss in Au+Au collisions at RHIC energies is studied by numerically solving the relativistic Boltzmann equation for the partons including $2\leftrightarrow 2$ and $2\to 2+finalstateradiation$ collision processes. Final particle spectra are obtained using two hadronization models; the Lund string fragmentation and independent fragmentation models. Recent, preliminary ${\pi }^0$ transverse momentum distributions from central Au+Au collisions at RHIC are reproduced using gluon-gluon scattering cross sections of 5-12 mb, depending upon the hadronization model. Comparisons with the HIJING jet quenching algorithm are made.

6 pages, 6 figures, attached files are replaced (wrong files were uploaded in version 1)