Memory effects and thermodynamics in strong field plasmas

We study the evolution of a strong field plasma using a quantum Vlasov equation with a non-Markovian source term and a simple collision term, and calculate the time dependence of the energy and number density, and the temperature. The evolution of a plasma produced with BNL RHIC-like initial conditions is well described by a low density approximation to the source term. However, non-Markovian aspects should be retained to obtain an accurate description of the early stages of a CERN LHC-like plasma. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.