Quantum transport theory for Abelian plasmas

The gauge invariant relativistic quantum equations of motion for the fermion and photon Wigner operators are derived from QED. In the mean field (Hartree) approximation, we extract the generalized quantum Vlasov and mass-shell constraint equations for fermions. In addition, a complete spinor decomposition is performed. A systematic method for computing quantum corrections to all orders in h is developed. First order quantum (spin) corrections are computed explicitly. Finally, the relations between gauge dependent and independent definitions of the photon Wigner function and their corresponding transport equations are discussed. Copyright 1987 Academic Press, Inc