Time-dependent shell-model theory of dissipative heavy-ion collisions

A transport theory is formulated within a time-dependent shell-model approach. Time averaging of the equations for macroscopic quantities lead to irreversibility and justifies weak-coupling limit and Markov approximation for the (energy-conserving) one- and two-body collision terms. Two coupled equations for the occupation probabilities of dynamical single-particle states and for the collective variable are derived and explicit formulas for transition rates, dynamical forces, mass parameters and friction coefficients are given. The applicability of the formulation in terms of characteristic quantities of nuclear systems is considered in detail and some peculiarities due to memory effects in the initial equilibration process of heavy-ion collisions are discussed.