Far-from-equilibrium attractors with a realistic non-conformal equation of state

Abstract

Using anisotropic hydrodynamics, we examine the existence of early-time attractors of non-conformal systems undergoing Bjorken expansion. In the case of a constant mass, we find that the evolution is insensitive to variations of initial conditions converging onto an early-time universal curve and eventually merging with the late-time Navier-Stokes attractor (the hydrodynamic attractor). When a realistic equation of state is included in the dynamics with a thermal mass, we demonstrate the absence of strict late-time universal attractors. However, a semi-universal feature of the evolution at very late times remains.