We propose a first-order theory of relativistic dissipative fluids in the trace-fixed particle frame, which is similar to Eckart’s frame except that the temperature is determined by fixing the trace of the stress-energy tensor. Our theory is hyperbolic and causal provided a single inequality holds. For low wave numbers, the expected damped modes in the shear, acoustic, and heat diffusion channels are recovered. Stability of global equilibria with respect to all wave numbers is also analyzed. The conditions for hyperbolicity, causality, and stability are satisfied for a simple gas of hard spheres or disks.

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• Fluids & classical fields in curved spacetime
• Nonequilibrium & irreversible thermodynamics
• Relativistic hydrodynamics