Azimuthal Asymmetry of Direct Photons in High Energy Nuclear Collisions

Abstract

We show that a sizable azimuthal asymmetry, characterized by a coefficient nu2, is to be expected for large pT direct photons produced in noncentral high energy nuclear collisions. This signal is generated by photons radiated by jets interacting with the surrounding hot plasma. The anisotropy is out of phase by an angle pi/2 with respect to that associated with the elliptic anisotropy of hadrons, leading to negative values of nu2. Such an asymmetry, if observed, could be a signature for the presence of a quark gluon plasma and would establish the importance of jet-plasma interactions as a source of electromagnetic radiation.