The role of thermal photons in a magnetized plasma and their significance in heavy ion collisions

Abstract

In this contribution, we present thermal photon production mechanisms within a magnetized quark-gluon plasma, utilizing the framework of Landau-level quantization. We examine the specific influences of the magnetic field, chemical potential, and chiral chemical potential on photon yield and polarization. By providing a more comprehensive theoretical description of photon production across the full evolution of heavy-ion collisions, our study offers a promising new avenue for resolving the photon $v_2$ puzzle and potentially detecting the signature of magnetic fields in heavy-ion collision experiments.

8 pages, 6 figures. Contributed to the Excited QCD 2026 Workshop