https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00077-9
Ultrarelativistic electron-positron plasma
Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Gießenbachstr., 85748 Garching, Germany
Corresponding author: a thoma@mpe.mpg.de
Received:
6
October
2008
Revised:
19
January
2009
Published online:
13
March
2009
Ultrarelativistic electron-positron plasmas can be produced in high-intensity laser fields and play a role in various astrophysical situations. Their properties can be calculated using QED at finite temperature. Here we will use perturbative QED at finite temperature for calculating various important properties, such as the equation of state, dispersion relations of collective plasma modes of photons and electrons, Debye screening, damping rates, mean free paths, collision times, transport coefficients, and particle production rates, of ultrarelativistic electron-positron plasmas. In particular, we will focus on electron-positron plasmas produced with ultra-strong lasers.
PACS: 52.27.Ep – Electron-positron plasmas / 11.10.Wx – Electron-positron plasmas
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2009