In this thesis a kinetic theory for spin-1/2 particles is given a brief overview, focusing on the derivation of an evolution equation for the quasiprobability distribution function used in the theo ...
This thesis provides a detailed derivation of dissipative spin hydrodynamics from quantum field theory for systems composed of spin-0, spin-1/2, or spin-1 particles. The Wigner function formalism is introduced for quantum fields in the respective representations of the Poincaré group, and the conserved currents, i.e., the energy-momentum tensor and the total angular momentum tensor, in various so-called pseudogauges are derived. An expansion around the semiclassical limit in powers of the Planck constant is performed. Subsequently, kinetic equations are obtained for binary elastic scattering, using both the de Groot-van Leeuwen-van Weert and Kadanoff-Baym method, with the latter retaining the effect of quantum statistics. The resulting collision term features both local and nonlocal contributions, with the latter providing a relaxation mechanism for the spin degrees of freedom of the quasiparticles. The local-equilibrium distribution function is derived from the requirement that the local part of the collision term vanishes. From quantum kinetic theory, dissipative spin hydrodynamics is then constructed via the method of moments, extended to particles with spin. The system of moment equations is closed via the Inverse-Reynolds Dominance (IReD) approach, resulting in a set of equations of motion describing the evolution of both ideal and dissipative degrees of freedom. The application to polarization phenomena relevant to heavy-ion collisions is discussed.
We derive and analyze an effective quantum Boltzmann equation in the kinetic regime for the interactions of four distinguishable types of fermionic spin- particles, starting from a general quantum field Hamiltonian. Each particle type is described by a time-dependent, 2 × 2 spin-density ('Wigner') matrix. We show that density and energy conservation laws as well as the H-theorem hold, and enumerate additional conservation laws depending on the interaction. The conserved quantities characterize the thermal (Fermi–Dirac) equilibrium state. We illustrate the approach to equilibrium by numerical simulations in the isotropic three-dimensional setting.
Abstract We present novel aspects of a trajectory-based theory of massive spin-zero relativistic quantum particles. In this approach, the quantum trajectory ensemble is the fundamental entity. It satisfies its own action principle, leading to a dynamical partial differential equation (via the Euler-Lagrange procedure), as well as to conservation laws (via Noether’s theorem). In this paper, we focus on the derivation of the latter. In addition to the usual expected energy and momentum conservation laws, there is also a third law that emerges, associated with the conditions needed to maintain global simultaneity. We also show that the nonrelativistic limits of these conservation laws match those of the earlier, nonrelativistic quantum trajectory theory [J. Chem. Phys. 136, 031102 (2012)].