Thermalization in Heavy-Ion Collisions

Abstract

We propose a model for isotropization and corresponding thermalization in a nucleon system created in the collision of two nuclei. The model is based on the assumption: during the fireball evolution, two-particle elastic and inelastic collisions give rise to the randomization of the nucleon-momentum transfer which is driven by a proper distribution. As a first approximation, we assume a homogeneous distribution where the values of the momentum transfer is bounded from above. These features have been shown to result in a smearing of the particle momenta about their initial values and, as a consequence, in their partial isotropization and thermalization. The nonequilibrium single-particle distribution function and single-particle spectrum which carry a memory about initial state of nuclei have been obtained.

Comments: 12 pages, 4 figures; added references, corrected typos, added explanatory figures, extended discussion