Exclusive vector meson production in relativistic heavy ion collisions

Exclusive vector meson production reactions such as Au+Au$\to \mathrm{Au}+\mathrm{Au}+\mathrm{V},$ where $V=\rho ,\hspace{0.5em}\omega ,\hspace{0.5em}\phi$, or $J/\psi ,$ can proceed through photon-Pomeron and photon-meson interactions. Photons from the electromagnetic field of one nucleus interact coherently with the other nucleus. Photonuclear cross sections are scaled from $\gamma p$ data and convoluted with the photon spectrum to find the exclusive rates. The cross sections at the RHIC and LHC heavy ion colliders are huge, 10% of the total hadronic cross section at RHIC and 50% at LHC. These accelerators may be useful as vector meson factories. With iodine beams at RHIC, 640 $\rho$ are produced each second ${(10\mathrm{}}^{10}/\mathrm{yr});$ with calcium at the LHC the rate is 240 kHz. The $\phi$ rates are 39 Hz at RHIC and 15 kHz at LHC, while the $J/\psi$ rate is 0.3 Hz at RHIC and 780 Hz at the LHC. Because of the coherent couplings, the reactions kinematics are similar to coherent two-photon interactions; we discuss the interplay between the two reactions.