Summary
A relativistic quantum-statistical description is given of electromagnetic wave propagation in a uniformly magnetized electron-positron gas, with specific attention devoted to long-wavelength propagation as determined by the « collective » approximation. Collisionless absorption effects derived from relativity theory are compared with those obtained from the corresponding nonrelativistic treatment, showing that the two theories predict substantially different effects even for «nonrelativistic» temperatures. Contrasts appear in the predicted characteristics of the cyclotron resonance absorption effect, including the fact that Landau damping is completely nonexistent in the relativistic gas for waves propagating at phase velocities exceeding the velocity of light.
Riassunto
Si dà una descrizione quanto-statistica relativistica della propagazione delle onde elettroniagnetiche in un gas di elettroni e positoni uniformemente magnetizzato, prestando speoiale attenzioue alia propagazione delle onde hmghe come è determinata dall’approssimazione ‘collettiva». Si confrontano gli effetti di assorbimento senza collisione dedotti dalla teoria della relatività con quelli ottenuti dal corrispondente trattamento non relativistico, dimostrando clie le due teorie predicono effetti sostanzial-inente diversi anclie a temperature «non relativistiche ». Si rivelano contrasti nelle caratteristiclie predette per l’effetto di assorbimento della risonanza di ciclotrone, compreso il fatto che lo smorzamento di Landau è del tutto inesistente nel gas relativistico per onde che si propagano con velocita di fase superiori alia velocità della luce.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
L. A. Steinert:Nuovo Gimento,36, 935 (1965).
L. Landau:J. Phys. (U.S.S.B.),10, 25 (1946);Žurn Ėksp. Teor. Fiz.,16, 574 (1946).
H. Weitzneb:Phys. Fluids,6, 1123 (1963).
B. Buti:Phys. Fluids,5, 1 (1962);6, 89, 100 (1963).
K. Imre:Phys. Fluids,5, 459 (1962).
P. C. Martin andJ. Schwingeb:Phys. Rev.,115, 1342 (1959).
W. J. Allis, S. J. Buchsbaum andA. Beks:Waves in Anisotropic Plasmas Chapt. 2 (Cambridge, Mass., 1963).
M. J. Seaton:Quantum Theory, vol.10-II, Sect.13, edited byD. E. Bates (New York, 1962).
L. P. Kadanoff andG. Baym:Quantum Statistical Mechanics, Chapter 3 (New York, 1962).
L. Page:Phys. Rev.,36, 444 (1930).
M. H. Johnson andB. A. Lippmann:Phys. Rev.,76, 828 (1949).
A. O. G. Källéx :Quantenelectrodynamik, Sect.6 inPrinciples of Quantum Theory, Handbuch der Physik Series, vol.5, Part I, edited byS. Flügge (Berlin, 1958).
G. Källén:Benormalization Theory, p. 169, inLectures in Theoretical Physics (from the 1961 Brandeis University Summer Institute) vol. 1 (New York, 1962).
G. Källén :Topics in Quantum Electrodynamics, p. 123, inElementary-Particle Physics and Field Theory (from the 1962 Brandeis University Summer Institute Lectures in Theoretical Physios) (New York, 1963).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was performed primarily at the University of Lund under the sponsorship of the National Bureau of Standards.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Steinert, L.A. Electromagnetic wave propagation and relativistic damping effects in a uniformly magnetized electron-positron gas. Nuovo Cimento B (1965-1970) 40, 345–374 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02710794
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02710794