Published October 17, 2003
| Version v1
Journal article
Electromagnetic wave collapse in a radiation background
- 1. Department of Electromagnetics, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Goeteborg (Sweden)
- 2. Department of Physics, Umeaa University, SE-901 87 Umeaa (Sweden)
Description
The nonlinear interaction, due to quantum electrodynamical (QED) effects between an electromagnetic pulse and a radiation background, is investigated by combining the methods of radiation hydrodynamics with the QED theory for photon-photon scattering. For the case of a single coherent electromagnetic pulse, we obtain a Zakharov-like system, where the radiation pressure of the pulse acts as a driver of acoustic waves in the photon gas. For a sufficiently intense pulse and/or background energy density, there is focusing and the subsequent collapse of the pulse. The relevance of our results for various astrophysical applications are discussed
Additional details
Identifiers
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Physical Review Letters
- Journal Volume
- 91
- Journal Issue
- 16
- Journal Page Range
- p. 163601-163601.4
- ISSN
- 0031-9007
- CODEN
- PRLTAO
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- INIS RN
- 36009663
- Subject category
- S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; S72: PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS;
- Descriptors DEI
- ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES; ENERGY DENSITY; FOCUSING; HYDRODYNAMICS; PHOTON-PHOTON INTERACTIONS; QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS; RADIATION PRESSURE; SCATTERING; SOUND WAVES
- Descriptors DEC
- BASIC INTERACTIONS; ELECTRODYNAMICS; ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; FIELD THEORIES; FLUID MECHANICS; INTERACTIONS; MECHANICS; PARTICLE INTERACTIONS; PULSES; QUANTUM FIELD THEORY; RADIATIONS
Optional Information
- Notes
- (c) 2003 The American Physical Society