Rapidity distribution of gluons in the classical field model for heavy ion collisions

Abstract

The rapidity distribution of gluons produced in heavy ion collisions is studied by a numerical computation in $(2+1)$-dimensional classical Yang-Mills theory. By assuming that the classical source strength ${g}^{2}\ensuremath{\mu}$ depends on rapidity as ${g}^{4}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{2}\ensuremath{\sim}{e}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\ensuremath{\lambda}y}$ and studying collisions of two nuclei with different ${g}^{2}\ensuremath{\mu}$, we find that the rapidity distribution of produced gluons at central rapidities is very broad. The transverse energy is seen to decrease even more slowly as a function of $y$ than the multiplicity. We discuss these results and the range in $y$ and $\sqrt{s}$ where they are applicable in the light of experimental results and other theoretical calculations.