Jet Quenching and Gluon to Hadron Fragmentation Function in Non-Equilibrium QCD at RHIC and LHC

TL;DR

This paper derives a gauge-invariant definition of the gluon to hadron fragmentation function in non-equilibrium QCD, aiding the understanding of jet quenching observed at RHIC and LHC.

Contribution

It introduces a first-principles derivation of the gluon to hadron fragmentation function in non-equilibrium QCD using closed-time path integral formalism.

Findings

Provides a gauge-invariant definition consistent with factorization in non-equilibrium QCD.

Facilitates better theoretical understanding of jet quenching phenomena.

Lays groundwork for improved modeling of parton fragmentation in heavy-ion collisions.

Abstract

Theoretical understanding of the observed jet quenching measurements at RHIC and LHC is challenging in QCD because it requires understanding of parton to hadron fragmentation function in non-equilibrium QCD. In this paper, by using closed-time path integral formalism, we derive the gauge invariant definition of the gluon to hadron fragmentation function in non-equilibrium QCD which is consistent with factorization theorem in non-equilibrium QCD from first principles.