New constraints on Planck-scale Lorentz Violation in QED from the Crab Nebula

TL;DR

This paper uses multiwavelength observations of the Crab Nebula to set stringent constraints on Lorentz Violation in QED at the Planck scale, impacting the dispersion relations of electrons, positrons, and photons.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive astrophysical constraints on Planck-scale Lorentz Violation in QED using detailed spectral modeling of the Crab Nebula.

Findings

Constraints of order 10^{-5} at 95% confidence level on Lorentz Violation parameters.

Modified dispersion relations can significantly affect astrophysical electromagnetic spectra.

Results improve previous bounds on Lorentz Violation in high-energy astrophysics.

Abstract

We set constraints on O(E/M) Lorentz Violation in QED in an effective field theory framework. A major consequence of such assumptions is the modification of the dispersion relations for electrons/positrons and photons, which in turn can affect the electromagnetic output of astrophysical objects. We compare the information provided by multiwavelength observations with a full and self-consistent computation of the broad-band spectrum of the Crab Nebula. We cast constraints of order 10^{-5} at 95% confidence level on the lepton Lorentz Violation parameters.