Relativistic dissipative spin dynamics in the relaxation time approximation

Abstract

The concept of the Wigner function is used to construct a semi-classical kinetic theory describing the evolution of the axial current phase-space density of spin-12 particles in the relaxation time approximation. The resulting approach can be used to study spin polarization effects in relativistic matter, in particular, in heavy-ion collisions. An expression for the axial current based on the classical treatment of spin is also introduced and we show that it is consistent with earlier calculations using Wigner functions. Finally, we derive non-equilibrium corrections to the spin tensor, which are used to define, for the first time, the structure of spin transport coefficients in relativistic matter.

Keywords

• Wigner function
• Local thermal equilibrium
• Axial-vector
• Spin polarization