Toward equilibration in the early stages after a high energy heavy ion collision Original Research Article

The early stages in the evolution of the gluons produced in the central region of a head-on high-energy heavy ion collision are studied. An equation is given for the rate of change of transverse momentum into longitudinal momentum where the longitudinal direction is along the collision axis. We are able to follow the system up to the time where equilibration seems to be setting in, but we are unable to actually follow the system as it reaches equilibrium.