Rapidity correlations test stochastic hydrodynamics

Abstract

We show that measurements of the rapidity dependence of transverse momentum correlations can be used to determine the characteristic time $\tau_{\pi}$ that dictates the rate of isotropization of the stress energy tensor, as well as the shear viscosity $\nu = \eta/sT$. We formulate methods for computing these correlations using second order dissipative hydrodynamics with noise. Current data are consistent with $\tau_{\pi}/\nu \sim 10$ but targeted measurements can improve this precision.