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U. Heinz

Publications and source records attributed to U. Heinz.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2017

Anisotropic fluid dynamics for Gubser flow

Exploring a variety of closing schemes to the infinite hierarchy of momentum moments of the exactly solvable Boltzmann equation for systems undergoing Gubser flow, we study the precision with which the resulting hydrodynamic equations reproduce the exact evolution of hydrodynamic moments of the distribution function. We find that anisotropic hydrodynamics, obtained by ex- panding the distribution function around a dynamically evolving locally anisotropic background whose evolution is matched to exactly reproduce the macroscopic pressure anisotropy caused by the different longitudinal and transverse expansion rates in Gubser flow, provides the most accurate macroscopic description of the microscopic kinetic evolution. This confirms a similar earlier finding for Bjorken flow [Molnár, Niemi and Rischke, Phys. Rev. D 94, 125003 (2016)]. We explain the physics behind this optimal matching procedure and show that one can efficiently correct for a non- optimized matching choice by adding a residual shear stress to the energy-momentum tensor whose evolution is again determined by the Boltzmann equation. Additional insights to guide the optimal choice of a macroscopic anisotropic hydrodynamic framework for strongly-coupled systems that do not admit a microscopic kinetic description are reported.

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arXiv2016

Nonlinear dynamics from the relativistic Boltzmann equation in the Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker spacetime

The dissipative dynamics of an expanding massless gas with constant cross section in a spatially flat Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) universe is studied. The mathematical problem of solving the full nonlinear relativistic Boltzmann equation is recast into an infinite set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the moments of the one-particle distribution function. Momentum-space resolution is determined by the number of non-hydrodynamic modes included in the moment hierarchy, i.e., by the truncation order. We show that in the FLRW spacetime the non-hydrodynamic modes decouple completely from the hydrodynamic degrees of freedom. This results in the system flowing as an ideal fluid while at the same time producing entropy. The solutions to the nonlinear Boltzmann equation exhibit transient tails of the distribution function with nontrivial momentum dependence. The evolution of this tail is not correctly captured by the relaxation time approximation nor by the linearized Boltzmann equation. However, the latter probes additional high-momentum details unresolved by the relaxation time approximation. While the expansion of the FLRW spacetime is slow enough for the system to move towards (and not away from) local thermal equilibrium, it is not sufficiently slow for the system to actually ever reach complete local equilibrium. Equilibration is fastest in the relaxation time approximation, followed, in turn, by kinetic evolution with a linearized and a fully nonlinear Boltzmann collision term.

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arXiv2015

Analytic solution of the Boltzmann equation in an expanding system

For a massless gas with constant cross section in a homogeneous, isotropically expanding spacetime we reformulate the relativistic Boltzmann equation as a set of non-linear coupled moment equations. For a particular initial condition this set can be solved exactly, yielding the first analytical solution of the Boltzmann equation for an expanding system. The non-equilibrium behavior of this relativistic gas can be mapped onto that of a homogeneous, static non-relativistic gas of Maxwell molecules.

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arXiv2015

Exact solutions of the Boltzmann equation and optimized hydrodynamic approaches for relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Several recent results are reported from work aiming to improve the quantitative precision of relativistic viscous fluid dynamics for relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The dense matter created in such collisions expands in a highly anisotropic manner. Due to viscous effects this also renders the local momentum distribution anisotropic. Optimized hydrodynamic approaches account for these anisotropies already at leading order in a gradient expansion. Recently discovered exact solutions of the relativistic Boltzmann equation in anisotropically expanding systems provide a powerful testbed for such improved hydrodynamic approximations. We present the latest status of our quest for a formulation of relativistic viscous fluid dynamics that is optimized for applications to relativistic heavy-ion collisions.

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arXiv2015

Exploring the properties of the phases of QCD matter - research opportunities and priorities for the next decade

This document provides a summary of the discussions during the recent joint QCD Town Meeting at Temple University of the status of and future plans for the research program of the relativistic heavy-ion community. A list of compelling questions is formulated, and a number of recommendations outlining the greatest research opportunities and detailing the research priorities of the heavy-ion community, voted on and unanimously approved at the Town Meeting, are presented. They are supported by a broad discussion of the underlying physics and its relation to other subfields. Areas of overlapping interests with the "QCD and Hadron Structure" ("cold QCD") subcommunity, in particular the recommendation for the future construction of an Electron-Ion Collider, are emphasized. The agenda of activities of the "hot QCD" subcommunity at the Town Meeting is attached.

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arXiv2009

Energy and momentum deposited into a QCD medium by a jet shower

Hard partons moving through a dense QCD medium lose energy by radiative emissions and elastic scatterings. Deposition of the radiative contribution into the medium requires rescattering of the radiated gluons. We compute the total energy loss and its deposition into the medium self-consistently within the same formalism, assuming perturbative interaction between probe and medium. The same transport coefficients that control energy loss of the hard parton determine how the energy is deposited into the medium; this allows a parameter free calculation of the latter once the former have been computed or extracted from experimental energy loss data. We compute them for a perturbative medium in hard thermal loop (HTL) approximation. Assuming that the deposited energy-momentum is equilibrated after a short relaxation time, we compute the medium's hydrodynamical response and obtain a conical pattern that is strongly enhanced by showering.

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arXiv2007

The Importance of Correlations and Fluctuations on the Initial Source Eccentricity in High-Energy Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

In this paper, we investigate various ways of defining the initial source eccentricity using the Monte Carlo Glauber (MCG) approach. In particular, we examine the participant eccentricity, which quantifies the eccentricity of the initial source shape by the major axes of the ellipse formed by the interaction points of the participating nucleons. We show that reasonable variation of the density parameters in the Glauber calculation, as well as variations in how matter production is modeled, do not significantly modify the already established behavior of the participant eccentricity as a function of collision centrality. Focusing on event-by-event fluctuations and correlations of the distributions of participating nucleons we demonstrate that, depending on the achieved event-plane resolution, fluctuations in the elliptic flow magnitude $v_2$ lead to most measurements being sensitive to the root-mean-square, rather than the mean of the $v_2$ distribution. Neglecting correlations among participants, we derive analytical expressions for the participant eccentricity cumulants as a function of the number of participating nucleons, $\Npart$,keeping non-negligible contributions up to $\ordof{1/\Npart^3}$. We find that the derived expressions yield the same results as obtained from mixed-event MCG calculations which remove the correlations stemming from the nuclear collision process. Most importantly, we conclude from the comparison with MCG calculations that the fourth order participant eccentricity cumulant does not approach the spatial anisotropy obtained assuming a smooth nuclear matter distribution. In particular, for the Cu+Cu system, these quantities deviate from each other by almost a factor of two over a wide range in centrality.

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arXiv2007

Thermal Dileptons at LHC

We predict dilepton invariant-mass spectra for central 5.5 ATeV Pb-Pb collisions at LHC. Hadronic emission in the low-mass region is calculated using in-medium spectral functions of light vector mesons within hadronic many-body theory. In the intermediate-mass region thermal radiation from the Quark-Gluon Plasma, evaluated perturbatively with hard-thermal loop corrections, takes over. An important source over the entire mass range are decays of correlated open-charm hadrons, rendering the nuclear modification of charm and bottom spectra a critical ingredient.

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arXiv2007

A Family of Equations of State Based on Lattice QCD: Impact on Flow in Ultrarelativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

We construct a family of equations of state within a quasiparticle model by relating pressure, energy density, baryon density and susceptibilities adjusted to first-principles lattice QCD calculations. The relation between pressure and energy density from lattice QCD is surprisingly insensitive to details of the simulations. Effects from different lattice actions, quark masses and lattice spacings used in the simulations show up mostly in the quark-hadron phase transition region which we bridge over by a set of interpolations to a hadron resonance gas equation of state. Within our optimized quasiparticle model we then examine the equation of state along isentropic expansion trajectories at small net baryon densities, as relevant for experiments and hydrodynamic simulations at RHIC and LHC energies. We illustrate its impact on azimuthal flow anisotropies and transverse momentum spectra of various hadron species.

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arXiv2006

Final State Distortions in Two-Particle Correlations

Final state interactions in two-particle interferometry is considered for two-particle potentials which are the Coulomb plus "strong" one. For a simple model of the source we provide a full numerical calculation of the correlation function with taking into account two-particle Coulomb interaction plus final state strong interaction. It is found that for small sources (R=1-4 fm) the contribution from the strong interaction is appreciable and depresses the correlations while for large fireballs (R=7-10 fm) this contribution is small in comparison to the Coulomb one.

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arXiv2005

QCD matter within a quasi-particle model and the critical end point

We compare our quasi-particle model with recent lattice QCD results for the equation of state at finite temperature and baryo-chemical potential. The inclusion of the QCD critical end point into models is discussed. We propose a family of equations of state to be employed in hydrodynamical calculations of particle spectra at RHIC energies and compare with the differential azimuthal anisotropy of strange and charm hadrons.

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arXiv2005

Hydrodynamical evolution of dissipative QGP fluid

In the framework of the Mueller-Israel-Stewart theory of dissipative fluid dynamics, we have studied the space-time evolution of a QGP fluid. For simplicity, we have considered shear viscosity only and neglected bulk viscosity and heat conductivity. Shear viscosity opposes the expansion and cooling of the fluid. As a result, the lifetime of the fluid is extended. We also find that the parton $p_T$ distribution is considerably flattened.

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arXiv2002

Elliptic Flow from a Transversally Thermalized Fireball

The agreement of elliptic flow data at RHIC at central rapidity with the hydrodynamic model has led to the conclusion of very rapid thermalization. This conclusion is based on the intuitive argument that hydrodynamics, which assumes instantaneous local thermalization, produces the largest possible elliptic flow values and that the data seem to saturate this limit. We here investigate the question whether incompletely thermalized viscous systems may actually produce more elliptic flow than ideal hydrodynamics. Motivated by the extremely fast primordial longitudinal expansion of the reaction zone, we investigate a toy model which exhibits thermalization only in the transverse directions but undergoes collisionless free-streaming expansion in the longitudinal direction. For collisions at RHIC energies, elliptic flow results from the model are compared with those from hydrodynamics. With the final particle yield and $\kt$-distribution fixed, the transversally thermalized model is shown not to be able to produce the measured amount of elliptic flow. This investigation provides further support for very rapid local kinetic equilibration at RHIC. It also yields interesting novel results for the elliptic flow of massless particles such as direct photons.

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arXiv2001

Fluctuation probes of quark deconfinement

The magnitude of the local fluctuations of the net baryon number and electric charge differs widely between the confined and deconfined phases, and the difference is partially frozen at an early stage in relativistic heavy ion collisions. These fluctuations may thus be useful probes of the temporary formation of a deconfined state in such collisions.

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arXiv2001

Centrality dependence of multiplicity, transverse energy, and elliptic flow from hydrodynamics

The centrality dependence of the charged multiplicity, transverse energy, and elliptic flow coefficient is studied in a hydrodynamic model, using a variety of different initializations which model the initial energy or entropy production process as a hard or soft process, respectively. While the charged multiplicity depends strongly on the chosen initialization, the p_t-integrated elliptic flow for charged particles as a function of charged particle multiplicity and the p_t-differential elliptic flow for charged particles in minimum bias events turn out to be almost independent of the initial energy density profile.

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arXiv2001

Is there elliptic flow without transverse flow?

Azimuthal anisotropy of final particle distributions was originally introduced as a signature of transverse collective flow. We show that finite anisotropy in momentum space can result solely from the shape of the particle emitting source. However, by comparing the differential anisotropy to recent data from STAR collaboration we can exclude such a scenario, but instead show that the data favour strong flow as resulting from a hydrodynamical evolution.

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arXiv2001

Radial and elliptic flow at RHIC: further predictions

Using a hydrodynamic model, we predict the transverse momentum dependence of the spectra and the elliptic flow for different hadrons in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s) = 130 A GeV. The dependence of the differential and p_t-integrated elliptic flow on the hadron mass, equation of state and freeze-out temperature is studied both numerically and analytically.

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