From the universal Lindblad equation to Boltzmann equations: in-QGP quarkonium dynamics

Abstract

Recently, a set of coupled singlet-octet universal Lindblad equations (ULEs) was derived within the framework of non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) to describe quarkonium dynamics in the quark-gluon plasma (QGP). These equations provide a unified quantum description spanning the quantum Brownian and quantum optical regimes. In this work, we further develop this framework and establish its connection with semiclassical transport. We first derive the universal Lindblad equations within the potential non-relativistic QCD (pNRQCD) effective field theory and show that they coincide with the small-dipole limit of the NRQCD ULEs. We then derive the semiclassical limit of the NRQCD ULEs, obtaining a set of coupled singlet-octet Boltzmann equations. To our knowledge, this is the first derivation of Boltzmann transport equations directly from the universal Lindblad framework. The resulting equations are valid beyond the small-dipole approximation, allowing the evolution of heavy-quark pairs from compact to widely separated configurations. Taking their small-dipole limit allows a direct comparison with the Boltzmann equations of Yao et al. [Phys. Rev. D 99, 096028 (2019)], which were derived within pNRQCD from the Davies secular equation, relying on the rotating-wave approximation (RWA). While the singlet equations are found to be in near-complete agreement, the octet equation contains an additional collision term describing transitions within the continuum of octet scattering states, which is absent from the RWA-based derivation. Finally, we derive the leading quantum correction to the singlet Boltzmann equation. Our results establish a more general and systematic theoretical foundation for the semiclassical transport description of quarkonium in the QGP.