Eur. Phys. J. A (2008) 36: 111-117
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2007-10550-y

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Diffusion or bounce back in relativistic heavy-ion collisions?

¹ Institut für Theoretische Physik, Philosophenweg 16, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
² School of General Education, Shinshu University, 390-8621, Matsumoto, Japan
³ Toba National College of Maritime Technology, 517-8501, Toba, Japan

^* e-mail: wolschin@uni-hd.de

Received: 30 November 2007
Accepted: 6 March 2008
Published online: 9 April 2008

Abstract

The time evolution of pseudorapidity distributions of produced charged hadrons in d + Au collisions at = 200 GeV is investigated. Results of a nonequilibrium statistical relativistic diffusion model with three sources are compared with a macroscopic “bounce-back” model that does not allow for statistical equilibration at large times, but instead leads to motion reversal. When compared to the data, the results of the diffusion approach are more precise, thus emphasizing that the system is observed to be on its way to thermal equilibrium.