Eur. Phys. J. C (2018) 78: 525
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-018-6000-0

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Majorana flipping of quarkonium spin states in transient magnetic field

¹ Theoretical Physics Division, Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, 1/AF, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
² School of Physical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research Bhubaneswar, P.O. Jatni, Khurda, Odisha, 752050, India
³ Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata, 700064, India

^* e-mail: nirupamdu@gmail.com

Received: 28 November 2017
Accepted: 18 June 2018
Published online: 26 June 2018

Abstract

We demonstrate that spin flipping transitions occur between various quarkonium spin states due to transient magnetic field produced in non central heavy ion collisions (HICs). The inhomogeneous nature of the magnetic field results in non adiabatic evolution of (spin)states of quarkonia moving inside the transient magnetic environment. Our calculations explicitly show that the consideration of azimuthal inhomogeneity gives rise to dynamical mixing between different spin states owing to Majorana spin flipping. Notably, this effect of non-adiabaticity is novel and distinct from previously predicted mixing of the singlet and one of the triplet states of quarkonia in the presence of a static and homogeneous magnetic field.