Charge separation induced by image-odd bubbles in QCD matter Original Research Article

We examine the recent suggestion that P- and CP-odd effects in QCD matter can induce electric charge asymmetry with respect to reaction plane in relativistic heavy ion collisions. General arguments are given which confirm that the angular momentum of QCD matter in the presence of nonzero topological charge should induce an electric field aligned along the axis of the angular momentum. A simple formula relating the magnitude of charge asymmetry to the angular momentum and topological charge is derived. The expected asymmetry is amenable to experimental observation at RHIC and LHC; we discuss the recent preliminary STAR result in light of our findings. Possible implications of charge separation phenomenon in cosmology and astrophysics are discussed as well.