Causal Theories of Dissipative Relativistic Fluid Dynamics for Nuclear Collisions

Abstract

Non-equilibrium fluid dynamics derived from the extended irreversible thermodynamics of the causal Müller--Israel--Stewart theory of dissipative processes in relativistic fluids based on Grad's moment method is applied to the study of the dynamics of hot matter produced in ultra--relativistic heavy ion collisions. The temperature, energy density and entropy evolution are investigated in the framework of the Bjorken boost--invariant scaling limit. The results of these second order theories are compared to those of first order theories due to Eckart and to Landau and Lifshitz and those of zeroth order (perfect fluid) due to Euler. In the presence of dissipation perfect fluid dynamics is no longer valid in describing the evolution of the matter. First order theories fail in the early stages of evolution. Second order theories give a better description in good agreement with transport models. It is shown in which region the Navier--Stokes--Fourier laws (first order theories) are a reasonable limiting case of the more general extended thermodynamics (second order theories).