Complex deformations of Bjorken flow

Abstract

Through a complex shift of the time coordinate, a modification of Bjorken flow is introduced which interpolates between a glasma-like stress tensor at forward rapidities and Bjorken-like hydrodynamics around mid-rapidity. A Landau-like full-stopping regime is found at early times and rapidities not too large. Approximate agreement with BRAHMS data on the rapidity distribution of produced particles at top Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) energies can be achieved if the complex shift of the time coordinate is comparable to the inverse of the saturation scale. The form of the stress tensor follows essentially from symmetry considerations, and it can be expressed in closed form.