What do electromagnetic plasmas tell us about the quark-gluon plasma?

Abstract

Because the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) reveals some obvious similarities to the well-known electromagnetic plasma (EMP), an accumulated knowledge on EMPs can be used in QGP studies. After discussing similarities and differences of the two systems, we present the theoretical tools used to describe the plasmas. The tools include kinetic theory, hydrodynamic approach, and diagrammatic perturbative methods. We consider collective phenomena in the plasma, with a particular emphasis on instabilities that crucially influence the temporal evolution of the system. Finally, properties of strongly coupled plasma are discussed. Copyright © 2007 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.