Electromagnetic fields in ultra-peripheral relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Abstract: Ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions (UPCs) offer unique opportunities to study processes under strong electromagnetic fields. In these collisions, highly charged fast-moving ions carry strong electromagnetic fields that can be effectively treated as photon fluxes. The exchange of photons can induce photonuclear and two-photon interactions, and excite ions. This excitation of the ions results in Coulomb dissociation with the emission of photons, neutrons, and other particles. Additionally, the electromagnetic fields generated by the ions can be sufficiently strong to enforce mutual interactions between the two colliding ions. Consequently, the two colliding ions experienced an electromagnetic force that pushed them in opposite directions, causing a back-to-back correlation in the emitted neutrons. Using a Monte Carlo simulation, we qualitatively demonstrated that the above electromagnetic effect is large enough to be observed in UPCs, which would provide a clear means to study strong electromagnetic fields and their effects.