Light-Cone QCD Plasma

We deduce the maximum-entropy state of partons created in proton-proton and nucleus-nucleus collisions. This state is characterized by a distribution function n(x,pT) depending on the light-cone fraction x and the transverse momentum pT of forward or backward particles, respectively. The mean transverse momentum <pT> determines the single parameter of the maximum entropy distribution which is constrained by the sum of all light-cone momentum fractions being unity. The total multiplicity is related to the transverse area of the colliding Lorentz-contracted hadrons. Assuming parton-hadron duality we can compare the model to data from RHIC and LHC.