Anisotropic hydrodynamics and the early-thermalization puzzle

Abstract

The framework of anisotropic hydrodynamics is used in 3+1 dimensions to analyze behavior of matter produced in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The model predictions for the hadronic transverse-momentum spectra, directed and elliptic flows, and the HBT radii are presented. We show that the effects of the initial anisotropy of pressure may be compensated by appropriate adjustment of the initial energy density. In this way, the final hadronic observables become insensitive to the early stage dynamics and the early thermalization puzzle may be circumvented.