{\Lambda} polarization from thermalized jet energy

TL;DR

This paper investigates how jets in high-energy collisions create vortical structures in the quark-gluon plasma, proposing observable signatures to confirm thermalization and measure shear viscosity.

Contribution

It introduces a hydrodynamic simulation of jet-induced vortical rings and defines an experimental observable to detect this phenomenon.

Findings

Vortical 'smoke rings' form from jet energy thermalization

Proposed observable can experimentally confirm jet energy thermalization

Observation of vorticity provides a probe of shear viscosity

Abstract

We examine the formation of vortical "smoke rings" as a result of thermalization of energy lost by a jet. We simulate the formation and evolution of these rings using hydrodynamics and define an observable that allows to probe this phenomenon experimentally. We argue that observation of vorticity associated with jets would be an experimental confirmation of the thermalization of the energy lost by quenched jets, and also a probe of shear viscosity.