Estimate of the magnetic field strength in heavy-ion collisions

Abstract

Magnetic fields created in the noncentral heavy-ion collision are studied within a microscopic transport model, namely the Ultrarelativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics model (UrQMD). Simulations were carried out for different impact parameters within the SPS energy range ($E_{lab} = 10 - 158 A$ GeV) and for highest energies accessible for RHIC. We show that the magnetic field emerging in heavy-ion collisions has the magnitude of the order of $eB_y \sim 10^{-1} m_\pi^2$ for the SPS energy range and $eB_y \sim m_\pi^2$ for the RHIC energies. The estimated value of the magnetic field strength for the LHC energy amounts to $eB_y \sim 15 m_\pi^2$.