The Chiral Magnetic Effect: Measuring event-by-event P- and CP-violation with heavy ion-collisions

Understand

Gluon field configurations with nonzero topological charge induce P- and CP-odd effects.

• Such configurations are likely to be produced during heavy ion collisions.
• In this article, I will argue that in the intense (electromagnetic) magnetic field produced in non-central heavy ion collisions, topological charge creates an electromagnetic current in the direction of the magnetic field.
• This is the Chiral Magnetic Effect.