Effective transport equations for non-Abelian plasmas

Starting from classical transport theory, we derive a set of covariant equa tions describing the dynamics of mean fields and their statistical fluctuat ions in a non-Abelian plasma in or out of equilibrium, A general procedure is detailed for integrating out the fluctuations as to obtain the effective transport equations for the mean fields. In this manner, collision integra ls for Boltzmann equations are obtained as correlators of fluctuations. The formalism is applied to a hot non-Abelian plasma close to equilibrium. We integrate out explicitly the fluctuations with typical momenta of the Debye mass, and obtain the collision integral in a leading logarithmic approxima tion. We also identify a source for stochastic noise. The resulting dynamic al equations are of the Boltzmann-Langevin type. While our approach is base d on classical physics, we also give the necessary generalizations to study the quantum plasmas. Ultimately, the dynamical equations for soft and ultr a-soft fields change only in the value for the Debye mass. (C) 1999 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.