Thermalization of gluons and onset of collectivity at RHIC due to gg <--> ggg interactions

Abstract

A number of promising results of a new 3+1 dimensional Monte Carlo parton cascade including inelastic multiplication processes (gg <--> ggg) are elaborated: (1) thermalization and chemical saturation; (2) the onset of longitudinal hydrodynamical expansion; (3) the build up of elliptic flow. We first briefly outline the basic idea of the algorithm. Full simulations are done with initial conditions for the kinetic partons via minijets or with ones stemming from a color glass condensate. The inclusion of the inelastic channels leads to a very fast kinetic equilibration and also to an early creation of pressure.

7 pages, revtex, 6 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the 43rd International Winter Meeting on Nuclear Physics, Bormio, Italy, 13 Mar - 20 Mar 2005