The transport coefficient $\hat{q}$ in an anisotropic plasma

TL;DR

This paper studies how the jet quenching parameter $ in an anisotropic plasma increases with anisotropy, providing insights relevant for understanding quark behavior in high-energy nuclear collisions.

Contribution

It introduces a calculation of the transport coefficient $ for a fast quark in an anisotropic plasma, highlighting the impact of anisotropy on jet quenching.

Findings

Transport coefficient increases with anisotropy.

Implications for RHIC phenomenology.

Leading log approximation used for analysis.

Abstract

We investigate the jet quenching parameter in the case of a fast moving quark in an anisotropic plasma. In the leading log approximation, strong indications are found that the transport coefficient increases with increasing anisotropy. Implications for the phenomenology at RHIC are discussed.