Photon-induced processes and ultra-peripheral collisions (UPC) in heavy-ion collisions

• We investigate photon-induced processes and ultra-peripheral collisions (UPC) in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, where the strong electromagnetic fields of fast-moving ions act as intense sources of quasi-real photons. Our program targets γA and γγ interactions and their experimentally accessible observables. Key topics include coherent/incoherent vector-meson photoproduction, dilepton production and strong-field QED processes, as well as polarization- and interference-sensitive angular measurements. We also exploit forward detectors and neutron tagging (e.g., ZDC and mutual Coulomb dissociation) for event classification and background suppression. With coordinated analyses across RHIC-STAR and the LHC heavy-ion experiments (ALICE/CMS/ATLAS), we aim to build a reusable, end-to-end analysis framework and open new windows on nuclear structure and strong-field phenomena.