Reworking the Zubarev's approach to non-equilibrium quantum statistical mechanics

Abstract

In this work the non-equilibrium density operator approach introduced by Zubarev more than 50 years ago to describe quantum systems at local thermodynamic equilibrium is revisited. This method - which was used to obtain the first ''Kubo" formula of shear viscosity, is especially suitable to describe quantum effects in fluids. This feature makes it a viable tool to describe the physics of the Quark Gluon Plasma in relativistic nuclear collisions.

Comments: 9 pages, 1 figure. Submitted to special issue of Particles: "Nonequilibrium Phenomena in Strongly Correlated System"