Emergent equilibrium-like yields from nonequilibrium cascade dynamics
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: We study nonequilibrium cascades in which fragile bound or coherent structures are formed through intermediate states rather than by direct equilibration. Motivated by light-nuclei production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions and by Bose--Einstein condensation in cosmological settings, we analyze such processes within the Schwinger--Keldysh real-time formalism. We show that commonly used rate equations can be understood as a controlled Markovian approximation obtained by integrating out intermediate reservoirs in an underlying multi-component nonequilibrium dynamics. When the finite lifetime of these reservoirs is retained, non-Markovian memory effects naturally appear, leading to delayed and history-dependent formation dynamics. The associated memory time provides a quantitative criterion for the validity of reduced, rate-based descriptions far from equilibrium.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Author: Fukuyama, Takeshi
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7128029956
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