Classical Hadrodynamics: A New Approach to Ultrarelativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

Abstract

We discuss a new approach to ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions based on classical hadrodynamics for extended nucleons, corresponding to nucleons of finite size interacting with massive meson fields. This new theory provides a natural covariant microscopic approach that includes automatically spacetime nonlocality and retardation, nonequilibrium phenomena, interactions among all nucleons and particle production. In the current version of our theory, we consider $N$ extended unexcited nucleons interacting with massive neutral scalar ($σ$) and neutral vector ($ω$) meson fields. The resulting classical relativistic many-body equations of motion are solved numerically without further approximation for soft nucleon-nucleon collisions at $p_{\rm lab}$ = 14.6, 30, 60, 100 and 200 GeV/$c$ to yield the transverse momentum imparted to the nucleons. For the future development of the theory, the isovector pseudoscalar ($π^+$, $π^-$, $π^0$), isovector scalar ($δ^+$, $δ^-$, $δ^0$), isovector vector ($ρ^+$, $ρ^-$, $ρ^0$) and neutral pseudoscalar ($η$) meson fields that are known to be important from nucleon-nucleon scattering experiments should be incorporated. In addition, the effects of quantum uncertainty on the equations of motion should be included by use of techniques analogous to those used by Moniz and Sharp for nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics.