Kinetic Equation for Gluons in the Background Gauge of QCD

Abstract

We derive the quantum kinetic equation for a pure gluon plasma, applying the background field and closed-time-path method. The derivation is more general and transparent than earlier works. A term in the equation is found which, as in the classical case, corresponds to the color charge precession for partons moving in the gauge field.

RevTex 4, 4 pages, no figure, PRL accepted version