Chiral Anomaly and Local Polarization Effect from the Quantum Kinetic Approach

Jian-Hua Gao, Zuo-Tang Liang, Shi Pu, Qun Wang, and Xin-Nian Wang

Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 232301 – Published 4 December 2012

Abstract

A power expansion scheme is set up to determine the Wigner function that satisfies the quantum kinetic equation for spin- $1 / 2$ charged fermions in a background electromagnetic field. Vector and axial-vector current induced by magnetic field and vorticity are obtained simultaneously from the Wigner function. The chiral magnetic and vortical effect and chiral anomaly are shown as natural consequences of the quantum kinetic equation. The axial-vector current induced by vorticity is argued to lead to a local polarization effect along the vorticity direction in heavy-ion collisions.

Received 4 March 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.232301

Authors & Affiliations

Jian-Hua Gao^1,2, Zuo-Tang Liang³, Shi Pu², Qun Wang², and Xin-Nian Wang^4,5

¹School of Space Science and Physics, Shandong University at Weihai, Weihai 264209, China
²Interdisciplinary Center for Theoretical Study and Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
³School of Physics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, China
⁴Key Laboratory of Quark and Lepton Physics (MOE) and Institute of Particle Physics, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
⁵Nuclear Science Division, MS 70R0319, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA