KINETIC DESCRIPTION OF THE BARYON SUBSYSTEM OF NUCLEAR-MATTER AT INTERMEDIATE ENERGIES

A kinetic equation of the Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck type is obtained for the baryon subsystem of relativistic nuclear matter. For this pur pose, the method of a nonequilibrium statistical operator is used in q uantum hadrodynamics. This kinetic equation, derived by invoking a min imal number of assumptions, takes into account all basic relativistic quantum effects inherent in the Walecka model (baryon-antibaryon state s, spin and meson degrees of freedom, etc.). With this approach, the s implest versions of the Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equations used to describe intermediate-energy heavy-ion collisions can be generalized i n such way as to obtain more sophisticated versions of various levels of complexity.