Chiral effects in astrophysics and cosmology

The microscopic quantum nature of elementary particles, chirality, leads to macroscopic phenomena like the chiral anomaly, chiral magnetic effect, and chiral plasma insta-bility. We review recent progress of the studies of these chiral effects in high-energy astrophysics, such as pulsar kicks, magnetars, and core-collapse supernovae, and early Universe cosmology, such as the primordial magnetic field, baryogenesis, and chiral gravitational waves. We also provide a pedagogical introduction to the chiral effects and low-energy effective theories to describe them in and out of equilibrium-the chiral (magneto)hydrodynamics, chiral kinetic theory, and chiral radiation transport theory for neutrinos.

Automated summary

The microscopic quantum nature of elementary particles, chirality, leads to macroscopic phenomena like the chiral anomaly, chiral magnetic effect, and chiral plasma instability. Recent progress in studying these chiral effects in high-energy astrophysics and early Universe cosmology are reviewed, including pulsar kicks, magnetars, core-collapse supernovae, primordial magnetic fields, baryogenesis, and chiral gravitational waves. Additionally, a pedagogical introduction to chiral effects and low-energy effective theories, such as chiral (magneto)hydrodynamics, chiral kinetic theory, and chiral radiation transport theory for neutrinos, is provided.