A study of parton energy loss in Au+Au collisions at RHIC using transport theory

Parton energy loss in Au+Au collisions at RHIC energies is studied by numerically solving the relativistic Boltzmann equation for the partons including 2↔2 and 2→2+final state radiation collision processes. Final particle spectra are obtained using two hadronization models; the Lund string fragmentation and independent fragmentation models. Recent, preliminary π0 transverse momentum distributions from central Au+Au collisions at RHIC are reproduced using gluon–gluon scattering cross sections of 5–12 mb, depending upon the hadronization model. Comparisons with the HIJING jet quenching algorithm are made.