Estimate of the magnetic field strength in heavy-ion collisions

TL;DR

This paper estimates the magnetic field strength generated in noncentral heavy-ion collisions across different energies using the UrQMD model, providing key quantitative insights relevant for understanding electromagnetic effects in such collisions.

Contribution

It offers the first detailed estimates of magnetic field magnitudes in heavy-ion collisions at SPS, RHIC, and LHC energies using a microscopic transport model.

Findings

Magnetic field reaches ~0.1 m_pi^2 at SPS energies.

Magnetic field reaches ~1 m_pi^2 at RHIC energies.

Magnetic field estimated at ~15 m_pi^2 for LHC energies.

Abstract

Magnetic fields created in the noncentral heavy-ion collision are studied within a microscopic transport model, namely the Ultrarelativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics model (UrQMD). Simulations were carried out for different impact parameters within the SPS energy range ($E_{lab} = 10 - 158 A$ GeV) and for highest energies accessible for RHIC. We show that the magnetic field emerging in heavy-ion collisions has the magnitude of the order of $eB_y \sim 10^{-1} m_\pi^2$ for the SPS energy range and $eB_y \sim m_\pi^2$ for the RHIC energies. The estimated value of the magnetic field strength for the LHC energy amounts to $eB_y \sim 15 m_\pi^2$.