What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to analyze the diffusion behavior of heavy quarks during the early stages of high-energy nuclear collisions.

February 5, 2026

Diffusion of heavy quarks in the early stage of high-energy nuclear collisions

Key Points

The study aims to analyze the diffusion behavior of heavy quarks during the early stages of high-energy nuclear collisions.
Examined the pre-equilibrium stage of relativistic heavy-ion collisions known as Glasma.
Utilized classical Yang-Mills equations to describe the evolving Glasma fields.
Applied relativistic kinetic theory to model the coupling of heavy quarks to Glasma fields.
Computed momentum broadening and angular momentum fluctuations of heavy quarks.
Momentum broadening of heavy quarks is found to be proportional to time squared, σp ∝ t2, at very early times.
Angular momentum fluctuations are identified as anisotropic due to the characteristics of the background gluon fields.
Non-Markovian diffusion explained by the memory effect present in the gluon fields.

Abstract

We study the diffusion of heavy quarks in the early stage of highenergy nuclear collisions. The pre-equilibrium stage of relativistic heavy-ion collisions, commonly known as Glasma, evolves according to the classical Yang-Mills equations. Heavy quarks are coupled to the evolving Glasma fields via relativistic kinetic theory. We compute the momentum broadening, σp as well as the angular momentum fluctuations of heavy quarks in the early stage, which turn out to be anisotropic due to the anisotropy of the background gluon fields. We observe that σp ∝ t2 at very initial times. This non-Markovian diffusion of heavy quarks in the early stages is explained by the memory effect present in the gluon fields.

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