Plasma dynamics and vacuum pair creation using the Dirac-Heisenberg-Wigner formalism
Open accessAbstract
We derive a system of coupled partial differential equations for the equal-time Wigner function in an arbitrary strong electromagnetic field using the Dirac-Heisenberg-Wigner formalism. In the electrostatic limit, we present a system of four coupled partial differential equations, which are completed by Ampères law. This electrostatic system is further studied for two different cases. In the first case, we consider linearized wave propagation in a plasma accounting for the nonzero vacuum expectation values. We then derive the dispersion relation and compare it with well-known limiting cases. In the second case, we consider Schwinger pair production using the local density approximation to allow for analytical treatment. The dependence of the pair production rate on the perpendicular momentum is investigated and it turns out that the spread of the produced pairs along with perpendicular momentum depends on the strength of the applied electric field.
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A sufficiently strong electrostatic field leads to Schwinger pair production of electrons and positrons.
“a sufficiently strong electrostatic field leads to Schwinger pair production of electrons and positrons”
From Quantum kinetic theory of plasmas (2022) · cites this paper as Al-Naseri et al. 2021
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- Authors
- Al-Naseri, H., Zamanian, J., & Brodin, G.
- Affiliations
- Umeå University (SE)
- Venue
- Physical Review E
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Published
- 2021-07-15
- Volume
- 104
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 015207-015207
- ISSN
- 2470-0045 (ISSN-L)
- 2470-0053
- OpenAlex
- W3156748923
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3
- FWCI
- 1.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Physical review. E (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- DiVA at Umeå University (Umeå University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (cc-by)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
- Keywords
- vacuum pair production, Schwinger mechanism, strong electromagnetic fields, plasma dynamics, electrostatic limit, Ampère's law, dispersion relation, local density approximation, quantum electrodynamics
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