Propagation of axions in a strongly magnetized medium

The polarization operator of an axion in a degenerate gas of electrons occupying the ground-state Landau level in superstrong magnetic fields H≫H ₀=m _e ² c ³/eℏ=4.41×10¹³ G is investigated in a model with a tree-level axion-electron coupling. It is shown that a dynamic axion mass, which can fall within the allowed range of values 10⁻⁵ eV≲m _a≲10² eV, is generated under the conditions of strongly magnetized neutron stars. As a result, the dispersion relation for axions is appreciably different from that in a vacuum. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 3–11 (January 1999)     

Emission of axions by a hydrogen-like atom in an ultrastrong magnetic field

The resonance effect of emission of axions by a hydrogen-like atom in an ultrastrong magnetic field B ≫ B ₀ = m ²/e = 4.41 × 10¹³ Gs, which is induced by polarization of electron-positron vacuum, is considered. The emission probability and the radiation intensity are on the order of (B/B ₀) × 10⁻¹² of electromagnetic radiation characteristics, which exceeds the conventional ratio by many orders of magnitude. It is shown that, at the temperature of early Universe ≲(Zα)² m, the contribution from the resonance mechanism prevails. However, the relation between the concentrations of relic photons and axions cannot explain the origin of cold dark matter. The axion energy density in “our epoch” is 10⁻⁴(B/B ₀) eV/cm³.     

Resonant axion generation in a strong magnetic field as a mechanism of forming a cold latent mass

It is demonstrated that considering vacuum polarization in superstrong magnetic field B ≫B₀ = m² / e = 4.41∙10¹³ G leads to giant (by 13 orders of magnitude) intensification of axion generation processes. In this case, for example, the probability of resonant axion radiation is about 10^-12 (B / B₀ ) of the probability of photon radiation, which is by many orders of magnitude greater than usually. In this regard, it is assumed that this mechanism plays the main role in the formation of an axion component of cold latent mass in the Universe.     

Spontaneous magnetization of the vacuum and the strength of the magnetic field in the hot Universe

Intergalactic magnetic fields are assumed to have been spontaneously generated at the reheating stage of the early Universe, due to vacuum polarization of non-Abelian gauge fields at high temperature. The fact that the screening mass of this type of fields has zero value was discovered recently. A procedure to estimate their field strengths, B(T), at different temperatures is here developed, and the value B(T _ew)∼10¹⁴ G at the electroweak phase transition temperature is derived by taking into consideration the present value of the intergalactic magnetic field strength, B ₀∼10⁻¹⁵ G, coherent on the ∼1 Mpc scale. As a particular case, the standard model is considered and the field scale at high temperature is estimated in this case. Model-dependent properties of the phenomena under investigation are briefly discussed, too.     

Exciton magnetotransport in two-dimensional systems: Weak-localization effects

The paper considers the effect of a magnetic field B on the transport of neutral composite particles, namely excitons, in weakly disordered two-dimensional (2D) systems. In the case of classical transport (when the interference of different paths is neglected), the magnetic field suppresses exciton transport, and the static diffusion constant D(B) monotonically drops with B. When quantum-mechanical corrections due to weak localization are taken into account, D(B) becomes a nonmonotonic function of B. In weak magnetic fields, where the magnetic length is much larger than the exciton Bohr radius, ℓ_B=(ℏc/eB)^1/2≫a _B =ε ℏ²/μe ²,a positive magnetodiffusion effect is predicted, i.e., the exciton mobility should increase with B. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 114, 359–378 (July 1998)     

Production of electron-positron pairs by a photon propagating in a strongly magnetized thermal bath

The production of electron-positron pairs by a photon propagating in a thermal bath in both zero and strong (B ≫ 4.41 × 10¹³ G) magnetic fields has been considered. The mean free path has been calculated for the high-energy photon propagating through a thermodynamically equilibrium photon gas along the magnetic field lines so that the γ → e ⁻ e ⁺ decay is kinematically forbidden. It has been shown that the strong magnetic field suppresses the probability of the γγ′ → e ⁻ e ⁺ process. The analyzed process can be useful for analysis of possible mechanisms of the generation of the e ⁻ e ⁺ plasma in the regions of the polar caps of magnetars.     

A hydrogen atom in a superstrong magnetic field and the Zeldovich effect

We consider the problem of a hydrogen atom in a superstrong magnetic field, B? B _a =2.35×10⁹ G. The analytical formulas that describe the energy spectrum of this atom are derived for states with various quantum numbers n_ρ and m. A comparison with available calculations shows their high accuracy for B?B _a . We note that the derived formulas point to a manifestation of the Zeldovich effect, i.e., a rearrangement of the atomic spectrum under the influence of strong short-range Coulomb potential distortion. We discuss the relativistic corrections to level energies, which increase in importance with magnetic field and become significant for B?10¹⁴ G. We suggest the parameters in terms of which the Zeldovich effect has the simplest form. Analysis of our precision numerical calculations of the energy spectrum for a hydrogen atom in a constant magnetic field indicates that the Zeldovich effect is observed in the spectrum of atomic levels for superstrong fields, B?5×10¹¹ G. Magnetic fields of such strength exist in neutron stars and, possibly, in magnetic white dwarfs. We set lower limits for the fields B_min required for the manifestation of this effect. We discuss some of the properties of atomic states in a superstrong magnetic field, including their mean radii and quadrupole moments. We calculated the probabilities of electric dipole transitions between odd atomic levels and a deep ground level.     

Radiative corrections to the Coulomb energy levels and emission of a hydrogen-like atom in a superstrong magnetic field

The probability and intensity of hydrogen-like atom emission in strong magnetic field В >> Z ^2α2 B ₀, α = e ²/cħ = 1/137, and B ₀ = m ² c ³ /eħ = 4.41⋅10¹³ G is calculated. The role of electron-positron vacuum polarization is discussed.     

The aγγγ vertex and three-photon axion decay in an external magnetic field

The axion vertex aγγγ, the probability of three-photon axion decay in an external magnetic field, and the cross section of the crossing process aγ→2γ, which CP invariance forbids in vacuum, are calculated for the first time. It is shown that in superstrong magnetic fields B≫F ₀=m ²/|e|=4.41·10¹³ G the probability of three-photon decay is greater than the probability of two-photon decay. The astrophysical aspects of the questions examined are discussed. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 26–34 (July 1999)     

Two-loop corrections to the potential of a pointlike charge in a superstrong magnetic field

The potential of the pointlike charge in a superstrong homogeneous magnetic field B ? m _e ² /e ³ ≈ 6 × 10¹⁵ G is considered. It is well known that Coulomb potential is significantly modified by taking into account vacuum polarization (calculated in one loop approximation). We consider electron selfenergy and correction to the vertex function at one loop, and show that these diagrams are not enhanced by magnetic field like eB.We calculate two-loop corrections to the vacuum polarization and find that these contributions are small.     

Neutrino radiation by an electon in quantizing nuclear and strong magnetic fields

The probability and intensity of neutrino radiation of a hydrogen-like atom in the strong magnetic field B >> Z ²α² B ₀, α = e ² = 1/137, B ₀ = m ²/e = 4.41⋅10¹³ G are determined. The temperature dependence of the intensity of an atom ensemble is analyzed.     

Relativistic theory of inverse beta-decay of polarized neutron in strong magnetic field

The relativistic theory of the inverse beta-decay of polarized neutron,ν _e +n → > p +e ^-, in strong magnetic field is developed. For the proton wave function we use the exact solution of the Dirac equation in the magnetic filed that enables us to account exactly for effects of the proton momentum quantization in the magnetic field and also for the proton recoil motion. The effect of nucleons anomalous magnetic moments in strong magnetic fields is also discussed. We examine the cross-section for different energies and directions of propagation of the initial neutrino accounting for neutron polarization. It is shown that in the super-strong magnetic field the totally polarized neutron matter is transparent for neutrinos propagating antiparallel to the direction of polarization. The developed relativistic approach can be used for calculations of cross-sections of the other URCA processes in strong magnetic fields.     

Atomic levels in superstrong magnetic fields and <Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis> = 2 QED of massive electrons: Screening

The photon polarization operator in superstrong magnetic fields induces the dynamical photon “mass” which leads to screening of Coulomb potential at small distances z ≪ 1/m, m is the mass of an electron. We demonstrate that this behavior is qualitatively different from the case of D = 2 QED, where the same formula for a polarization operator leads to screening at large distances as well. Because of screening the ground state energy of the hydrogen atom at the magnetic fields B ≫ m ²/e ³ has the finite value E ⁰ = −me ⁴/2 ln²(1/e ⁶).     

Magnetic-field-induced retardation of the recombination of nonequilibrium charge carriers in semiconductors

The retardation of the recombination of electrons and holes in semiconductors in an applied uniform magnetic field has been predicted. It has been shown that the recombination time in germanium in the temperature range of T = 1–10 K at charge carrier densities of n _e = 10¹⁰−10¹⁴ cm⁻³ in magnetic fields of B = 3 × 10²−3 × 10⁴ G can be more than two orders of magnitude larger than that at zero magnetic field. This means that, after creation of nonequilibrium charge carriers by their injection at the p-n junction owing to some radiation sources or fast electron irradiation, the semiconductor retains its conductivity for a much longer time at nonzero applied magnetic field. The effect under study can be used, for example, to detect radiation sources.     

On the possible existence of a neutrino pulsar

If the neutrino has a magnetic moment in the interval 10⁻¹³μ_B < μ _ν < 10⁻¹² μ_B and if a magnetic field of strength about 10¹⁴ G exists in the supernova envelope, the effect of a pulsation of a neutrino signal from a supernova may arise owing to a ν _L → ν _R resonance transition in the envelope magnetic field.     

Three-particle recombination coefficient of a weakly nonideal ultracold plasma in a high magnetic field

An expression for the recombination coefficient α _B in a weakly nonideal ultracold plasma in a high magnetic field has been proposed. According to this expression, α _B ∼ T _e ^−1.5 B ⁻², where T _e is the temperature of electrons and B is the strength of the magnetic field. Comparison of calculated values with experimental data including the results of the recent experiments on recombination in antihydrogen confirms the theoretical dependence.     

Axion emission from a magnetized neutron gas

By using the polarization density matrix for a neutron in a magnetic field, the axion luminosity of magnetic neutron stars that is associated with the flip of the anomalous magnetic moment of degenerate nonrelativistic neutrons is calculated. It is shown that, at values of the magnetic-field induction in the region B ≳ 10¹⁸ G, this mechanism of axion emission is dominant in “young” neutron stars of temperature about a few tens of MeV units. At B ∼ 10¹⁷ G, it is one of the basic mechanisms. The Fermi energy of a degenerate neutron gas in a magnetic field is found, and it is shown that there is no such mechanism of axion emission in the degenerate case.     

Radiative neutrino decays in very strong magnetic fields

The radiative decay ν_H → ν_L + γ of massive neutrinos is analyzed in the framework of the standard model with lepton mixing for very strong magnetic fields B B_cr = m²_e/e 4.14 × 10¹³ G. The analysis is based on the approximate decay amplitude obtained by Gvozdev et al. Numerical results as well as analytical approximations for the decay rate are obtained for energies of the initial neutrino below and above the electron-positron pair creation threshold 2m_e.     

Plasma parameters in the upgraded Trimyx-M Galathea

Results are presented from measurements of the plasma parameters in the upgraded Trimyx-M Galathea. After the barrier magnetic field and the energy of the injected hydrogen plasma bunch were increased to B _bar ∼ 0.1 T and W ₀ ≈ 200 J, respectively, the following plasma parameters were achieved: the density n ∼ 5 × 10¹³ cm⁻³, the plasma confinement time τ* = 800–900 μs, the elergy of the confined plasma W ₁ ∼ 100 J, the ratio of the plasma pressure to the barrier magnetic pressure β ₀ ∼ 0.2, the electron temperature T _e ∼ 20 eV, and the ion temperature T _i ∼ 2T _e . The maximum time during which the plasma density decreased e-fold, τ _p , was found to be 300 μs at B _bar = 0.1 T, which agrees with the classical transport model.     

Photon propagation in a supercritical magnetic field

We show that, for the asymptotically strong (super-Schwinger) magnetic field B exceeding the critical value B_cr=m²c³/eh=4.4×10¹³G, the vacuum polarization effects become important not only in the γ-range, but also for softer electromagnetic quanta, including X-rays and optical photons, and for electromagnetic waves of radio frequencies. This is a consequence of the linearly growing term ?B/B_cr present in the vacuum polarization in an asymptotically strong magnetic field. The results may be essential in studying reflection, refraction, and splitting of X-rays, light and radio waves by magnetic fields of magnetars, and in considering emission of such waves by charged particles.