Real-Time Dynamics of the Chiral Magnetic Effect

Abstract

In quantum chromodynamics, a gauge field configuration with nonzero topological charge generates a difference between the number of left- and right-handed quarks. When a (electromagnetic) magnetic field is added to this configuration, an electromagnetic current is induced along the magnetic field; this is called the chiral magnetic effect. We compute this current in the presence of a color-flux tube possessing topological charge, with a magnetic field applied perpendicular to it. We argue that this situation is realized at the early stage of relativistic heavy-ion collisions.