Abstract
We derive the space-time distribution of energy and momentum deposited by a fast parton traversing a weakly coupled quark-gluon plasma by treating the fast parton as the source of an external color field perturbing the medium. We then use our result as a source term for the linearized hydrodynamical equations of the medium. We show that the solution contains a sonic Mach cone and a dissipative wake if the parton moves at a supersonic speed.
- Received 21 February 2008
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.78.041901
©2008 American Physical Society
Viewpoint
Sonic booms at kelvin
Published 13 October 2008
Energetic particle jets created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions might create detectable shock waves as they travel through the quark-gluon plasma.
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