© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

arXiv:2608.17372

From the universal Lindblad equation to Boltzmann equations: in-QGP quarkonium dynamics

Aoumeur Daddi Hammou, Pol Bernard Gossiaux

hep-phhep-thnucl-thquant-phSubmitted Aug 18, 2026• Announced Aug 19, 2026

Abstract

Recently, a set of coupled singlet-octet universal Lindblad equations (ULEs) was derived within the framework of non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) to describe quarkonium dynamics in the quark-gluon plasma (QGP). These equations provide a unified quantum description spanning the quantum Brownian and quantum optical regimes. In this work, we further develop this framework and establish its connection with semiclassical transport. We first derive the universal Lindblad equations within the potential non-relativistic QCD (pNRQCD) effective field theory and show that they coincide with the small-dipole limit of the NRQCD ULEs. We then derive the semiclassical limit of the NRQCD ULEs, obtaining a set of coupled singlet-octet Boltzmann equations. To our knowledge, this is the first derivation of Boltzmann transport equations directly from the universal Lindblad framework. The resulting equations are valid beyond the small-dipole approximation, allowing the evolution of heavy-quark pairs from compact to widely separated configurations. Taking their small-dipole limit allows a direct comparison with the Boltzmann equations of Yao et al. [Phys. Rev. D 99, 096028 (2019)], which were derived within pNRQCD from the Davies secular equation, relying on the rotating-wave approximation (RWA). While the singlet equations are found to be in near-complete agreement, the octet equation contains an additional collision term describing transitions within the continuum of octet scattering states, which is absent from the RWA-based derivation. Finally, we derive the leading quantum correction to the singlet Boltzmann equation. Our results establish a more general and systematic theoretical foundation for the semiclassical transport description of quarkonium in the QGP.

Comments: 21 pages, excluding appendices

Related papers

Simulation of Lindblad equations for quarkonium in the quark-gluon plasma

Takahiro Miura, Yukinao Akamatsu, Masayuki Asakawa +1 more

We study the properties of the Lindbladian quantum mechanical evolution of quarkonia with non-Abelian charges (color-singlet and octet) in the quark-gluon plasma. We confirm that heavy quark recoils in the Lindblad equation correctly thermalize quarkonium colorful states within statistical errors from the simulation method. We also demonstrate that the Lindblad equation in the dipole limit can provide an efficient alternative method, which is applicable to a finite time evolution before thermalization and dramatically reduces the numerical cost. Our findings will serve as a foundation for large-scale simulation of quarkonium dynamics in the relativistic heavy-ion collisions.

arXiv:2205.15551•Physical review. D/Physical review. D.•Oct 5, 2022•23 citations

General Lindblad equation for quarkonium evolution in a quark-gluon plasma

Aoumeur Daddi Hammou, Jean-Paul Blaizot, Pol Bernard Gossiaux +1 more

Accurate modelling and understanding of quarkonium production in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions requires a formalism that preserves the quantum properties of microscopic $\bar{Q}Q$ systems while treating the interaction of such pairs with the quark-gluon plasma (QGP). The open quantum system approach has recently emerged as one of the most fruitful schemes to meet such requirements. However, the quantum master equations obtained so far in this context are derived assuming a strict ordering between the QGP temperature $T$ and the $\bar{Q}Q$ energy gaps ($ΔE$) of the quarkonia bound states. This limits their predictive power since, as the QGP expands and cools down, the system traverse all regimes between the quantum Brownian motion (QBM) regime for $T\gtrsim ΔE$ to the quantum optical (QO) regime for $ΔE\gtrsim T$. In this paper, we derive and present a more general non-abelian quantum master equation of the Lindblad type, which does not suffer from these limitations and thus allows to faithfully describe the quantum evolution of the $Q\bar{Q}$ pairs during the whole QGP-evolution. We also provide some illustration of the key quantities governing this equation.

nucl-thCross-listedarXiv:2608.15347•Aug 18, 2026

Open quantum systems for quarkonia

Xiaojun Yao

I review recent applications of the open quantum system framework in the understanding of quarkonium suppression in heavy-ion collisions, which has been used as a probe of the quark–gluon plasma for decades. The derivation of the Lindblad equations for quarkonium in both the quantum Brownian motion and the quantum optical limits and their semiclassical counterparts is explained. The hierarchy of time scales assumed in the derivation is justified from the separation of energy scales in nonrelativistic effective field theories of QCD. Physical implications of the open quantum system approach are also discussed. Finally, I list some open questions for future studies.

arXiv:2102.01736•International Journal of Modern Physics A•Jul 14, 2021•73 citations

Improved theoretical treatment of the dynamics of quarkonia in the quark gluon plasma : from semiclassical approximation to unified quantum master equations between the quantum Brownian and the quantum optical regimes

Aoumeur Daddi Hammou

Traitement amélioré de la description théorique de la dynamique des quarkonia dans le plasma quarks-gluons : de l'approximation semi-classique aux équations maîtresses quantiques unifiées entre le régime brownien quantique et le régime optique quantique Les quarkonia lourds sont l'une des sondes du plasma de quarks et de gluons (QGP) formé dans les collisions ultrarelativistes d'ions lourds. Au cours de la dernière décennie, l'utilisation du formalisme des systèmes quantiques ouverts (SQO) dans l'étude de la dynamique des quarkonia dans le QGP a suscité un intérêt croissant. En particulier, il a été montré que l'équation de Lindblad peut donner lieu à des équations semi-classiques, qui ont été précédemment utilisées par plusieurs modèles phénoménologiques. Dans une première partie de cette thèse, nous étudions la validité de l'approximation semi-classique, et sa capacité à décrire certains effets quantiques non triviaux et à atteindre la limite thermique appropriée. La deuxième partie de la thèse a pour but de relever certains défis théoriques associés à l'utilisation du formalisme SQO dans l'étude de la dynamique des quarkonia dans le QGP. En particulier, en raison de l'aspect dynamique du QGP et de sa température dépendant du temps, la dynamique des quarkonia dans le QGP couvre deux régimes différents du formalisme SQO qui sont décrits par deux équations maîtresses différentes, à savoir le régime brownien quantique et le régime optique quantique. Nous explorons tout d'abord la transition entre les deux régimes et élucidons le lien entre leurs équations maîtresses respectives. Ensuite, afin de décrire l'évolution temporelle complète du quarkonia dans le QGP avec une seule équation maîtresse, nous appliquons l'équation universelle de Lindblad au système QGPquarkonia et dérivons un ensemble d'équations universelles couplées des états singlet et octet.

•Oct 2, 2024•0 citations

Quarkonium dynamics inside the Quark-Gluon Plasma using open quantum systems

Stéphane Delorme, Pol-Bernard Gossiaux, Thierry Gousset +1 more

\nIn recent years, a significant theoretical effort has been made towards a dynamical description of quarkonia inside the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP), using the open quantum systems formalism. In this framework, one can get a real-time description of a quantum system (here the quarkonium) in interaction with a thermal bath (the QGP) by integrating out the bath degrees of freedom and studying the system reduced density matrix. We investigate the real-time dynamics of a correlated heavy quark-antiquark pair inside the QGP using a quantum master equation previously derived from first QCD principles in [4]. The full equation is directly resolved in 1D to lessen computing costs and is used for the first time to gain insight on the dynamics in both a static and evolving medium following a Björken-like temperature evolution.\n

•May 17, 2021•0 citations

Quantum simulation of bottomonium dynamics in the quark-gluon plasma via the Lindblad equation

Linyuan Wei, Jin Hu, Anping Huang +2 more

Quantum computing provides a powerful framework for simulating real-time dynamics in open quantum systems, offering key advantages for modeling heavy-quarkonium transport in high-energy nuclear collisions. In this work, we perform quantum simulations of the isotropic next-to-leading-order Lindblad equation for bottomonium in the quark-gluon plasma using a reduced spherical coordinate representation. We discretize operators and wavefunctions, map the physical state onto qubits, and execute time evolution via parameterized quantum gate operations. By extracting the $Υ(1S)$ survival probability, we quantitatively isolate the color-octet contribution, demonstrating that its overall impact is small in the final production of the bottomonium ground state $Υ(1S)$ in the hot QCD medium at temperatures accessible at the Large Hadron Collider. Additionally, we have further optimized the quantum simulation algorithm for the Lindblad equation. The improved algorithm requires only a single ancillary qubit to realize the Lindblad evolution, thereby minimizing the circuit significantly.

arXiv:2608.06754•Aug 7, 2026•0 citations

Recently, a set of coupled singlet-octet universal Lindblad equations (ULEs) was derived within the framework of non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) to describe quarkonium dynamics in the quark-gluon plasma (QGP). These equations provide a unified quantum description spanning the quantum Brownian and quantum optical regimes. In this work, we further develop this framework and establish its connection with semiclassical transport. We first derive the universal Lindblad equations within the potential non-relativistic QCD (pNRQCD) effective field theory and show that they coincide with the small-dipole limit of the NRQCD ULEs. We then derive the semiclassical limit of the NRQCD ULEs, obtaining a set of coupled singlet-octet Boltzmann equations. To our knowledge, this is the first derivation of Boltzmann transport equations directly from the universal Lindblad framework. The resulting equations are valid beyond the small-dipole approximation, allowing the evolution of heavy-quark pairs from compact to widely separated configurations. Taking their small-dipole limit allows a direct comparison with the Boltzmann equations of Yao et al. [Phys. Rev. D 99, 096028 (2019)], which were derived within pNRQCD from the Davies secular equation, relying on the rotating-wave approximation (RWA). While the singlet equations are found to be in near-complete agreement, the octet equation contains an additional collision term describing transitions within the continuum of octet scattering states, which is absent from the RWA-based derivation. Finally, we derive the leading quantum correction to the singlet Boltzmann equation. Our results establish a more general and systematic theoretical foundation for the semiclassical transport description of quarkonium in the QGP.

We study the properties of the Lindbladian quantum mechanical evolution of quarkonia with non-Abelian charges (color-singlet and octet) in the quark-gluon plasma. We confirm that heavy quark recoils in the Lindblad equation correctly thermalize quarkonium colorful states within statistical errors from the simulation method. We also demonstrate that the Lindblad equation in the dipole limit can provide an efficient alternative method, which is applicable to a finite time evolution before thermalization and dramatically reduces the numerical cost. Our findings will serve as a foundation for large-scale simulation of quarkonium dynamics in the relativistic heavy-ion collisions.

Accurate modelling and understanding of quarkonium production in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions requires a formalism that preserves the quantum properties of microscopic

\bar{Q}Q

systems while treating the interaction of such pairs with the quark-gluon plasma (QGP). The open quantum system approach has recently emerged as one of the most fruitful schemes to meet such requirements. However, the quantum master equations obtained so far in this context are derived assuming a strict ordering between the QGP temperature

T

and the

\bar{Q}Q

energy gaps (

ΔE

) of the quarkonia bound states. This limits their predictive power since, as the QGP expands and cools down, the system traverse all regimes between the quantum Brownian motion (QBM) regime for

T\gtrsim ΔE

to the quantum optical (QO) regime for

ΔE\gtrsim T

. In this paper, we derive and present a more general non-abelian quantum master equation of the Lindblad type, which does not suffer from these limitations and thus allows to faithfully describe the quantum evolution of the

Q\bar{Q}

pairs during the whole QGP-evolution. We also provide some illustration of the key quantities governing this equation.

I review recent applications of the open quantum system framework in the understanding of quarkonium suppression in heavy-ion collisions, which has been used as a probe of the quark–gluon plasma for decades. The derivation of the Lindblad equations for quarkonium in both the quantum Brownian motion and the quantum optical limits and their semiclassical counterparts is explained. The hierarchy of time scales assumed in the derivation is justified from the separation of energy scales in nonrelativistic effective field theories of QCD. Physical implications of the open quantum system approach are also discussed. Finally, I list some open questions for future studies.

Traitement amélioré de la description théorique de la dynamique des quarkonia dans le plasma quarks-gluons : de l'approximation semi-classique aux équations maîtresses quantiques unifiées entre le régime brownien quantique et le régime optique quantique Les quarkonia lourds sont l'une des sondes du plasma de quarks et de gluons (QGP) formé dans les collisions ultrarelativistes d'ions lourds. Au cours de la dernière décennie, l'utilisation du formalisme des systèmes quantiques ouverts (SQO) dans l'étude de la dynamique des quarkonia dans le QGP a suscité un intérêt croissant. En particulier, il a été montré que l'équation de Lindblad peut donner lieu à des équations semi-classiques, qui ont été précédemment utilisées par plusieurs modèles phénoménologiques. Dans une première partie de cette thèse, nous étudions la validité de l'approximation semi-classique, et sa capacité à décrire certains effets quantiques non triviaux et à atteindre la limite thermique appropriée. La deuxième partie de la thèse a pour but de relever certains défis théoriques associés à l'utilisation du formalisme SQO dans l'étude de la dynamique des quarkonia dans le QGP. En particulier, en raison de l'aspect dynamique du QGP et de sa température dépendant du temps, la dynamique des quarkonia dans le QGP couvre deux régimes différents du formalisme SQO qui sont décrits par deux équations maîtresses différentes, à savoir le régime brownien quantique et le régime optique quantique. Nous explorons tout d'abord la transition entre les deux régimes et élucidons le lien entre leurs équations maîtresses respectives. Ensuite, afin de décrire l'évolution temporelle complète du quarkonia dans le QGP avec une seule équation maîtresse, nous appliquons l'équation universelle de Lindblad au système QGPquarkonia et dérivons un ensemble d'équations universelles couplées des états singlet et octet.

\nIn recent years, a significant theoretical effort has been made towards a dynamical description of quarkonia inside the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP), using the open quantum systems formalism. In this framework, one can get a real-time description of a quantum system (here the quarkonium) in interaction with a thermal bath (the QGP) by integrating out the bath degrees of freedom and studying the system reduced density matrix. We investigate the real-time dynamics of a correlated heavy quark-antiquark pair inside the QGP using a quantum master equation previously derived from first QCD principles in [4]. The full equation is directly resolved in 1D to lessen computing costs and is used for the first time to gain insight on the dynamics in both a static and evolving medium following a Björken-like temperature evolution.\n

Quantum computing provides a powerful framework for simulating real-time dynamics in open quantum systems, offering key advantages for modeling heavy-quarkonium transport in high-energy nuclear collisions. In this work, we perform quantum simulations of the isotropic next-to-leading-order Lindblad equation for bottomonium in the quark-gluon plasma using a reduced spherical coordinate representation. We discretize operators and wavefunctions, map the physical state onto qubits, and execute time evolution via parameterized quantum gate operations. By extracting the

Υ(1S)

survival probability, we quantitatively isolate the color-octet contribution, demonstrating that its overall impact is small in the final production of the bottomonium ground state

Υ(1S)

in the hot QCD medium at temperatures accessible at the Large Hadron Collider. Additionally, we have further optimized the quantum simulation algorithm for the Lindblad equation. The improved algorithm requires only a single ancillary qubit to realize the Lindblad evolution, thereby minimizing the circuit significantly.