Thermalization of gluon matter including image interactions Original Research Article

Within a pQCD inspired kinetic parton cascade we simulate the space time evolution of gluons which are produced initially in a heavy ion collision at RHIC energy. The inelastic gluonic interactions gg↔ggg do play an important role: For various initial conditions it is found that thermalization and the close to ideal fluid dynamical behaviour sets in at very early times. Special emphasis is put on color glass condensate initial conditions and the ʹbottom up thermalizationʹ scenario. Off-equilibrium 3→2 processes make up the very beginning of the evolution leading to an initial decrease in gluon number and a temporary avalanche of the gluon momentum distribution to higher transversal momenta.