Direct Photons from Hot Quark Matter in Renormalized Finite-Time-Path QED

TL;DR

This paper calculates direct photon emission from hot quark matter in heavy ion collisions using renormalized out-of-equilibrium QED, providing finite, uncertainty-consistent results that differ from previous diverging calculations.

Contribution

It introduces a renormalized finite-time-path QED approach to compute photon production, resolving divergence issues in earlier models.

Findings

Finite photon emission rate consistent with uncertainty principles.

Use of renormalized QED yields finite, physically meaningful results.

Provides a new mechanism for photon production during early collision stages.

Abstract

Within the finite-time-path out-of-equilibrium quantum field theory (QFT), we calculate direct photon emission from early stages of heavy ion collisions, from a narrow window, in which uncertainty relations are still important and they provide a new mechanism for production of photons. The basic difference with respect to earlier calculations, leading to diverging results, is that we use renormalized QED of quarks and photons. Our result is a finite contribution that is consistent with uncertainty relations.