Anisotropic hydrodynamics

TL;DR

This paper applies anisotropic hydrodynamics in 3+1 dimensions to relativistic heavy-ion collisions, showing that initial pressure anisotropy effects can be offset, making final observables insensitive to early-stage dynamics.

Contribution

It demonstrates that initial pressure anisotropy effects can be compensated by adjusting initial energy density, addressing the early thermalization puzzle.

Findings

Final hadronic observables are insensitive to early-stage pressure anisotropy.

Adjusting initial energy density can offset initial anisotropy effects.

The model provides a new way to interpret heavy-ion collision data.

Abstract

The recently formulated framework of anisotropic hydrodynamics is used in 3+1 dimensions to study behavior of matter created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The model predictions for various hadronic observables 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/isotropization puzzle may be circumvented.