Bottom-up isotropization in classical-statistical lattice gauge theory

Understand

We compute nonequilibrium dynamics for classical-statistical SU(2) pure gauge theory on a lattice.

• We consider anisotropic initial conditions with high occupation numbers in the transverse plane on a characteristic scale ~ Q_s.
• This is used to investigate the very early stages of the thermalization process in the context of heavy-ion collisions.
• We find Weibel or "primary" instabilities with growth rates similar to those obtained from previous treatments employing anisotropic distributions of hard modes (particles) in the weak coupling limit.