Highly anisotropic and strongly dissipative hydrodynamics for early stages of relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

We introduce a new framework of highly anisotropic hydrodynamics that includes dissipation effects. Dissipation is defined by the form of the entropy source that depends on the pressure anisotropy and vanishes for the isotropic fluid. With a simple ansatz for the entropy source obeying general physical requirements, we are led to a nonlinear equation describing the time evolution of the anisotropy in purely longitudinal boost-invariant systems. Matter that is initially highly anisotropic approaches naturally the regime of the perfect fluid. Thus, the resulting evolution agrees with the expectations about the behavior of matter produced at the early stages of relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The equilibration is identified with the processes of entropy production.