Are Static EM Fields in QED Composed of Virtual Photons?

[Ancient_Nomad]

Hello,

How is a static magnetic or electric field understood in terms of QED.

Is it correct to interpret them as a collection of photons?

If so, would these photons be real or virtual?

Thanks in advance.

 

[zhermes]

Yes. They would be virtual unless the fields were interacting with some other particle/charge.