  The relaxation of Fourier modes of hamiltonian chains close to equilibrium is
studied in the framework of a simple mode-coupling theory. Explicit estimates
of the dependence of relevant time scales on the energy density (or
temperature) and on the wavenumber of the initial excitation are given. They
are in agreement with previous numerical findings on the approach to
equilibrium and turn out to be also useful in the qualitative interpretation of
them. The theory is compared with molecular dynamics results in the case of the
quartic Fermi-Pasta-Ulam potential.
