Pion and muon production in electron-positron photon plasma

TL;DR

This paper investigates how pions and muons are produced and reach equilibrium in a relativistic electron-positron-photon plasma at low temperatures, proposing their potential as diagnostic tools for plasma properties.

Contribution

It introduces the idea that pion and muon production can serve as probes for initial plasma conditions and enables their properties to be studied experimentally in thermal environments.

Findings

Pions and muons can be produced and equilibrate in the plasma.

Their observation can diagnose initial plasma properties.

Properties of muons and pions are accessible for precise experiments.

Abstract

We study production and equilibration of pions and muons in relativistic electron-positron-photon plasma at a temperature $T\ll m_\mu, m_\pi $. We argue that the observation of pions and muons can be a diagnostic tool in the study of the initial properties of such a plasma formed by means of strong laser fields. Conversely, properties of muons and pions in thermal environment become accessible to precise experimental study.