Light propagation in nontrivial QED vacua

被引:113
作者
Dittrich, W [1 ]
Gies, H [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Tubingen, Inst Theoret Phys, D-72076 Tubingen, Germany
关键词
D O I
10.1103/PhysRevD.58.025004
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
Within the framework of effective action QED, we derive the light cone condition for homogeneous nontrivial QED vacua in the geometric optics approximation. Our result generalizes the "unified formula" suggested by Latorre, Pascual and Tarrach and allows for the calculation of velocity shifts and refractive indices for soft photons travelling through these vacua. Furthermore, we clarify the connection between the light velocity shift and the scale anomaly. This study motivates the introduction of a so-called effective action charge that characterizes the velocity modifying properties of the vacuum. Several applications ale given concerning vacuum modifications caused by, e.g., strong fields, Casimir systems and high temperature. [S0556-2821(98)00114-3].
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页数:13
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