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Adrian Dumitru

Publications and source records attributed to Adrian Dumitru.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
arXiv2009

Transverse momentum diffusion and jet energy loss in non-Abelian plasmas

We consider momentum broadening and energy loss of high momentum partons in a hot non-Abelian plasma due to collisions. We solve the coupled system of Wong-Yang-Mills equations on a lattice in real time, including binary hard elastic collisions among the partons. The collision kernel is constructed such that the total collisional energy loss and momentum broadening are lattice spacing independent. We find that the transport coefficient $\hat{q}$ corresponding to transverse momentum broadening receives sizable contributions from a power-law tail in the $p_\perp$-distribution of high-momentum partons. We establish the scaling of $\hat{q}$ and of $dE/dx$ with density, temperature and energy in the weak-coupling regime. We also estimate the nuclear modification factor $R_{AA}$ due to elastic energy loss of a jet in a classical Yang-Mills field.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Jet broadening in unstable non-Abelian plasmas

We perform numerical simulations of the QCD Boltzmann-Vlasov equation including both hard elastic particle collisions and soft interactions mediated by classical Yang-Mills fields. We provide an estimate of the coupling of jets to a hot plasma which is independent of infrared cutoffs. For weakly-coupled anisotropic plasmas the local rotational symmetry in momentum space is broken. The fields develop unstable modes, forming configurations where B_t>E_t and E_z>B_z. This provides a possible explanation for the experimental observation that high-energy jets traversing the plasma perpendicular to the beam axis experience much stronger broadening in rapidity than in azimuth.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Thermalization in SU(3) gauge theory after a deconfining quench

We determine the time evolution of fluctuations of the Polyakov loop after a quench into the deconfined phase of SU(3) gauge theory from a simple classical relativistic Lagrangian. We compare the structure factors, which indicate spinodal decomposition followed by relaxation, to those obtained via Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques in SU(3) lattice gauge theory. We find that the time when the structure factor peaks diverges like $\sim 1/k^2$ in the long-wavelength limit. This is due to formation of competing Z(3) domains for configurations where the Polyakov loop exhibits non-perturbatively large variations in space, which delay thermalization of long wavelength modes. For realistic temperatures, and away from the extreme weak-coupling limit, we find that even modes with $k$ on the order of $T$ experience delayed thermalization. Relaxation times of very long wavelength modes are found to be on the order of the size of the system; thus, the dynamics of competing domains should accompany the hydrodynamic description of the deconfined vacuum.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

QGP collective effects and jet transport

We present numerical simulations of the SU(2) Boltzmann-Vlasov equation including both hard elastic particle collisions and soft interactions mediated by classical Yang-Mills fields. We provide an estimate of the coupling of jets to a hot isotropic plasma, which is independent of infrared cutoffs. In addition, we investigate jet propagation in anisotropic plasmas, as created in heavy-ion collisions. The broadening of jets is found to be stronger along the beam line than in azimuth due to the creation of field configurations with B_t>E_t and E_z>B_z via plasma instabilities.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Glasma flux tubes and the near side ridge phenomenon at RHIC

We investigate the consequences of long range rapidity correlations in the Glasma. Particles produced locally in the transverse plane are correlated by approximately boost invariant flux tubes of longitudinal color electric and magnetic fields that are formed when two sheets of Colored Glass Condensate pass through one another, each acquiring a modified color charge density in the collision. We argue that such long range rapidity correlations persist during the evolution of the Quark Gluon Plasma formed later in the collision. When combined with transverse flow, these correlations reproduce many of the features of the recently observed ridge events in heavy ion collisions at RHIC.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

The heavy-quark potential in an anisotropic plasma

We determine the hard-loop resummed propagator in an anisotropic QCD plasma in general covariant gauges and define a potential between heavy quarks from the Fourier transform of its static limit. We find that there is stronger attraction on distance scales on the order of the inverse Debye mass for quark pairs aligned along the direction of anisotropy than for transverse alignment.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2007

The centrality dependence of elliptic flow, the hydrodynamic limit, and the viscosity of hot QCD

We show that the centrality and system-size dependence of elliptic flow measured at RHIC are fully described by a simple model based on eccentricity scaling and incomplete thermalization. We argue that the elliptic flow is at least 25% below the (ideal) ``hydrodynamic limit'', even for the most central Au-Au collisions. This lack of perfect equilibration allows for estimates of the effective parton cross section in the Quark-Gluon Plasma and of its viscosity to entropy density ratio. We also show how the initial conditions affect the transport coefficients and thermodynamic quantities extracted from the data, in particular the viscosity and the speed of sound.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2007

Ultraviolet avalanche in anisotropic non-Abelian plasmas

We present solutions of coupled particle-field evolution in classical U(1) and SU(2) gauge theories in real time on three-dimensional lattices. For strongly anisotropic particle momentum distributions, we find qualitatively different behavior for the two theories when the field strength is high enough that non-Abelian self-interactions matter for SU(2). It appears that the energy drained by a Weibel-like plasma instability from the particles does not build up exponentially in transverse magnetic fields but instead returns, isotropically, to the hard scale via a rapid avalanche into the ultraviolet.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

The eccentricity in heavy-ion collisions from Color Glass Condensate initial conditions

The eccentricity in coordinate-space at midrapidity of the overlap zone in high-energy heavy-ion collisions predicted by the $k_\perp$-factorization formalism is generically larger than expected from scaling with the number of participants. We provide a simple qualitative explanation of the effect which shows that it is not caused predominantly by edge effects. We also show that it is quite insensitive to ``details'' of the unintegrated gluon distribution functions such as the presence of leading-twist shadowing and of an extended geometric scaling window. The larger eccentricity increases the azimuthal asymmetry of high transverse momentum particles. Finally, we point out that the longitudinal structure of the Color Glass Condensate initial condition for hydrodynamics away from midrapidity is non-trivial but requires understanding of large-$x$ effects.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2006

Single transverse-spin asymmetries in forward pion production at high energy: incorporating small-x effects in the target

We consider single-inclusive forward pion production in high-energy proton-proton collisions at RHIC energies. A good baseline description of the transverse momentum distributions at high rapidity is obtained within Mueller's dipole formalism with an anomalous dimension incorporating an ``extended geometric scaling'' window between the saturation and DGLAP regimes. We then formulate pion production for transversely polarized projectiles within the same approach. We assume that an azimuthal, spin-dependent asymmetry arises from the so-called Sivers effect and investigate the single transverse-spin asymmetry A_N at 200 GeV and 500 GeV center-of-mass energy. A simple parameterization of the Sivers functions from the literature compares reasonably well with the high-energy STAR data if the overall normalization is scaled up by at least a factor of two. The STAR data might therefore indicate that the Sivers effect is significantly stronger than thought so far. We also analyze higher-twist contributions to A_N and find that they largely cancel.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

Geometric scaling violations in the central rapidity region of d+Au collisions at RHIC

We show that geometric scaling is satisfied to good accuracy in the forward region of d+Au collisions at RHIC. Scaling violations do show up, however, at mid-rapidity, and the anomalous dimension of the small-x gluon distribution evolves to near its DGLAP limit for transverse momenta of a few GeV. This represents a first consistency check of RHIC deuteron-nucleus and HERA DIS phenomenology, and of the universality of the underlying Color Glass Condensate (CGC) theory, which describes both phenomena. It also reconciles successful leading-twist LO and NLO perturbative QCD computations of mid-rapidity particle production with small-x evolution. Finally, we introduce a new parameterization for the anomalous dimension of the small-x gluon distribution which properly reproduces known theoretical limits at large rapidity, at large virtuality, and on the saturation boundary, and still fits the available data from d+Au collisions at RHIC. We find indications that sub-asymptotic terms in the rapidity-evolution of the anomalous dimension are large.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

Numerical Simulation of Non-Abelian Particle-Field Dynamics

Numerical 1D-3V solutions of the Wong-Yang-Mills equations with anisotropic particle momentum distributions are presented. They confirm the existence of plasma instabilities for weak initial fields and their saturation at a level where the particle motion is affected, similar to Abelian plasmas. The isotropization of the particle momenta by strong random fields is shown explicitly, as well as their nearly exponential distribution up to a typical hard scale, which arises from scattering off field fluctuations. By variation of the lattice spacing we show that the effects described here are independent of the UV field modes near the end of the Brioullin zone.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

The Color Glass Condensate and hadron production in the forward region

We consider one loop corrections to single inclusive particle production in parton-nucleus scattering at high energies, treating the target nucleus as a Color Glass Condensate. We prove by explicit computation that in the leading log Q^2 approximation, these corrections lead to collinear factorization and DGLAP evolution of the projectile parton distribution and hadron fragmentation functions. At leading logarithmic level, and in single-inclusive cross sections, only two-point functions of Wilson lines in the adjoint and fundamental representations (Mueller's dipoles) arise, which can be obtained from the solution of the JIMWLK equations. The application of our results to forward-rapidity production at RHIC energy shows that, in general, recoil effects are large and that the forward rapidity region at RHIC is rather different from the central region at LHC, despite comparable gluon densities in the target. We show that both the quantum x-evolution of the high-density target as well as the DGLAP Q^2-evolution of the parton distribution and fragmentation functions are clearly seen in the BRAHMS data. This provides additional strong evidence for the Color Glass Condensate at RHIC.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

Density inhomogeneities in heavy ion collisions around the critical point

We study the hydrodynamical expansion of a hot and baryon-dense quark fluid coupled to classical real-time evolution of the long wavelength modes of the chiral field. Significant density inhomogeneities develop dynamically when the transition to the symmetry-broken state occurs. We find that the amplitude of the density inhomogeneities is larger for expansion trajectories crossing the line of first-order transitions than for crossovers, which could provide some information on the location of a critical point. A few possible experimental signatures for inhomogeneous decoupling surfaces are mentioned briefly.

nucl-th↗
arXiv2005

QCD Plasma Instabilities and Isotropization

We study the coupled Wong Yang-Mills equations for both U(1) and SU(2) gauge groups and anisotropic particle momentum distributions numerically on a lattice. For weak fields with initial energy density much smaller than that of the particles we confirm the existence of plasma instabilities and exponential growth of the fields which has been discussed previously. Also, the SU(2) case is qualitatively similar to U(1), and we do find strong ``abelianization'' of the non-Abelian fields during the period of exponential growth. However, the effect nearly disappears when the fields are strong. This is because of the very rapid isotropization of the particle momenta by deflection in a strong field on time scales comparable to that for the development of Yang-Mills instabilities. This happens without entropy production which makes it very interesting for the phenomenology of high-energy heavy-ion collisions.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

Dense Quarks, and the Fermion Sign Problem, in a SU(N) Matrix Model

We study the effect of dense quarks in a SU(N) matrix model of deconfinement. For three or more colors, the quark contribution to the loop potential is complex. After adding the charge conjugate loop, the measure of the matrix integral is real, but not positive definite. In a matrix model, quarks act like a background Z(N) field; at nonzero density, the background field also has an imaginary part, proportional to the imaginary part of the loop. Consequently, while the expectation values of the loop and its complex conjugate are both real, they are not equal. These results suggest a possible approach to the fermion sign problem in lattice QCD.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

Deconfinement in Matrix Models about the Gross--Witten Point

We study the deconfining phase transition in SU(N) gauge theories at nonzero temperature using a matrix model of Polyakov loops. The most general effective action, including all terms up to two spatial derivatives, is presented. At large N, the action is dominated by the loop potential: following Aharony et al., we show how the Gross--Witten model represents an ultra-critical point in this potential. Although masses vanish at the Gross--Witten point, the transition is of first order, as the fundamental loop jumps only halfway to its perturbative value. Comparing numerical analysis of the N=3 matrix model to lattice simulations, for three colors the deconfining transition appears to be near the Gross--Witten point. To see if this persists for N >= 4, we suggest measuring within a window ~1/N^2 of the transition temperature.

hep-ph↗