Strong chromofields developed at early stages of relativistic heavy-ion collisions give rise to the collective deceleration of net baryons from colliding nuclei. We have solved classical equations of motion for baryonic slabs under the action of a time-dependent chromofield. We have studied the sensitivity of the slab trajectories and their final rapidities to the initial strength and decay pattern of the chromofield as well as to the back-reaction of produced plasma. This mechanism can naturally explain significant baryon stopping observed at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider corresponding to an average rapidity loss $\langle \delta y\rangle \approx 2$. Using a Bjorken-like hydrodynamical model with a particle production source term, we also study the evolution of partonic plasma produced as the result of chromofield decay. Due to the delayed formation and expansion of plasma, its maximum energy density is much lower than the initial energy density of the chromofield. Predictions of baryon stopping for $\text{Pb}\text{+}\text{Pb}$ collisions at Large Hadron Collider energies were made.

• Received 31 January 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.84.055202