Thermal photon emission from quark-gluon plasma: 1+1D magnetohydrodynamics results

Abstract We investigate thermal photon production in the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) under strong magnetic fields using a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) framework. Adopting the Bjorken flow model with power-law decaying magnetic fields $\mathbf{B}(\tau) = \mathbf{B}_0 (\tau_0/\tau)^a$ (where $a$ controls the decay rate, $B_0 = \sqrt{\sigma} T_0^2$, and $\sigma$ characterizes the initial field strength), we employ relativistic ideal fluid dynamics under the non-resistive approximation. The resulting QGP temperature evolution exhibits distinct $a$- and $\sigma$-dependent behaviors. Thermal photon production rates are calculated for three dominant processes: Compton scattering with $q\bar{q}$ annihilation (C+A), bremsstrahlung (Brems), and $q\bar{q}$ annihilation with additional scattering (A+S). These rates are integrated over the space-time volume to obtain the photon transverse momentum $(p_T)$ spectrum. 
Our results demonstrate that increasing $a$ enhances photon yields across all $p_T$, with $a \to \infty$ (super-fast decay) providing an upper bound. For $a = 2/3$, larger $\sigma$ suppresses yields through accelerated cooling, whereas for $a \to \infty$, larger $\sigma$ enhances yields via prolonged thermal emission. Low-$p_T$ photons receive significant contributions from all QGP evolution stages, while high-$p_T$ photons originate predominantly from early times. The central rapidity region $(y=0)$ dominates the total yield. This work extends photon yield studies to the MHD regime under strong magnetic fields, elucidating magnetic field effects on QGP electromagnetic signatures and establishing foundations for future investigations of magnetization and dissipative phenomena. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.