Dissipation near the QCD phase transition

Abstract

We set up a framework for field theoretical studies of systems out of thermal equilibrium and zoom in on the dissipation of disoriented chiral condensates. Short relaxation times are obtained in the phase transition region, jeopardizing the definiteness of a DCC signal.

Comments: 4 pages, 4 figures, espcrc.sty, to be published in the proceedings PANIC02, Osaka, Japan, September 30 - October 4, 2002