Time and space dependence of the electromagnetic field in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

Exact analytical solution for the space-time evolution of electromagnetic field in electrically conducting nuclear matter produced in heavy-ion collisions is discussed. It is argued that the parameter that controls the strength of the matter effect on the field evolution is $\sigma\gamma b$, where $\sigma$ is electrical conductivity, $\gamma$ is the Lorentz boost-factor and $b$ is the characteristic transverse size of the matter. When this parameter is of the order one or larger, which is the case at RHIC and LHC, space-time dependence of electromagnetic field is completely different form that in vacuum.