Spin-thermal shear coupling in a relativistic fluid

We show that spin polarization of a fermion in a relativistic fluid at local thermodynamic equilibrium can be generated by the symmetric derivative of the four-temperature vector, defined as thermal shear. As a consequence, besides vorticity, acceleration and temperature gradient, also the shear ten...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: F. Becattini, M. Buzzegoli, A. Palermo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-09-01
Series:Physics Letters B
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0370269321004597
Description
Summary:We show that spin polarization of a fermion in a relativistic fluid at local thermodynamic equilibrium can be generated by the symmetric derivative of the four-temperature vector, defined as thermal shear. As a consequence, besides vorticity, acceleration and temperature gradient, also the shear tensor contributes to the polarization of particles in a fluid. This contribution to the spin polarization vector, which is entirely non-dissipative, adds to the well known term proportional to thermal vorticity and may thus have important consequences for the solution of the local polarization puzzles observed in relativistic heavy ion collisions.
ISSN:0370-2693