Bose condensation in gluon plasma

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dc.contributor.advisorPeshier, Andre
dc.contributor.authorLouw, Gary
dc.date.accessioned2026-09-11T09:22:47Z
dc.date.available2026-09-11T09:22:47Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.date.updated2026-09-11T08:17:09Z
dc.description.abstractTo explore the possibility of a gluon condensate forming in heavy ion collisions, we study the quantum relativistic Boltzmann equation with glasma-inspired initial conditions. We focus on the standard case of a homogeneous and isotropic gluon plasma. Generalising an existing numerical approach for binary interactions in the scalar 𝜑4-theory to QCD, we develop an efficient framework to estimate equilibration and condensation timescales (to be compared to those for number-changing processes due to inelastic interactions). Our scheme improves on existing test particle simulations and Fokker-Planck approaches based on the small-scattering-angle approximation of the Boltzmann equation. By comparing the latter to our Boltzmann model allows the specification of an auxiliary UV cut-off which hitherto was known only parametrically. Uncertainties are thus reduced to details of QCD screening, which we parametrise with a screening mass and investigate with two different regularisations of the square amplitude. Preliminary results suggest that gluon condensation in heavy ion collisions is less likely than expected from Fokker-Planck approaches, which appear to underestimate equilibration and condensation timescales.
dc.identifier.apacitationLouw, G. (2026). <i>Bose condensation in gluon plasma</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Physics. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43765en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationLouw, Gary. <i>"Bose condensation in gluon plasma."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Physics, 2026. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43765en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationLouw, G. 2026. Bose condensation in gluon plasma. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Physics. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43765en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Louw, Gary AB - To explore the possibility of a gluon condensate forming in heavy ion collisions, we study the quantum relativistic Boltzmann equation with glasma-inspired initial conditions. We focus on the standard case of a homogeneous and isotropic gluon plasma. Generalising an existing numerical approach for binary interactions in the scalar 𝜑4-theory to QCD, we develop an efficient framework to estimate equilibration and condensation timescales (to be compared to those for number-changing processes due to inelastic interactions). Our scheme improves on existing test particle simulations and Fokker-Planck approaches based on the small-scattering-angle approximation of the Boltzmann equation. By comparing the latter to our Boltzmann model allows the specification of an auxiliary UV cut-off which hitherto was known only parametrically. Uncertainties are thus reduced to details of QCD screening, which we parametrise with a screening mass and investigate with two different regularisations of the square amplitude. Preliminary results suggest that gluon condensation in heavy ion collisions is less likely than expected from Fokker-Planck approaches, which appear to underestimate equilibration and condensation timescales. DA - 2026 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Gluon condensation KW - Boltzmann equation KW - Relativistic kinetic theory KW - Theoretical Physics KW - Fokker-Planck equation LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2026 T1 - Bose condensation in gluon plasma TI - Bose condensation in gluon plasma UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43765 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/43765
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationLouw G. Bose condensation in gluon plasma. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Physics, 2026 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43765en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Physics
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectGluon condensation
dc.subjectBoltzmann equation
dc.subjectRelativistic kinetic theory
dc.subjectTheoretical Physics
dc.subjectFokker-Planck equation
dc.titleBose condensation in gluon plasma
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMSc
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