Prethermalization
Abstract
Prethermalization of the equation of state and the kinetic temperature to their equilibrium values occurs on time scales dramatically shorter than the thermal equilibration time. This is a crucial ingredient for the understanding of collisions of heavy nuclei or other nonequilibrium phenomena in complex quantum and classical many body systems. We also compare the chemical equilibration time with other characteristic time scales.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- September 2004
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:hep-ph/0403234
- Bibcode:
- 2004PhRvL..93n2002B
- Keywords:
-
- 12.38.Mh;
- 05.70.Ln;
- 11.10.Wx;
- Quark-gluon plasma;
- Nonequilibrium and irreversible thermodynamics;
- Finite-temperature field theory;
- High Energy Physics - Phenomenology;
- Condensed Matter - Other;
- High Energy Physics - Theory;
- Nuclear Theory
- E-Print:
- 4 pages, 4 figures, PRL version, minor changes