Flow Buildup in a Mixed Phase of Quark-Gluon Plasma Plus Hadrons

Abstract

Transport processes are considered for their abilities to generate flow in a mixed-phase system of hadrons plus quark-gluon plasma exhibiting temperature and density gradients. Diffusive mechanisms are found to be the leading sources. Even after overcoming viscous effects, conductive and diffusive forces generate flow velocities for pions in a model using kinetic theory to within fifteen percent of light speed. Since such flow is not observed, this could possibly rule out the mixed phase in the evolution of high energy heavy ion collisions.

Comments: 4 pages RevTeX, 4 Postscript figures