Ultrarelativistic Electron-Positron Plasma

TL;DR

This paper uses finite-temperature QED to analyze the properties of ultrarelativistic electron-positron plasmas, relevant for high-intensity laser experiments and astrophysical phenomena.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive calculation of plasma properties using perturbative QED, focusing on electron-positron plasmas generated by ultra-strong lasers.

Findings

Calculated equation of state for ultrarelativistic electron-positron plasma.

Derived dispersion relations for plasma collective modes.

Estimated transport coefficients and particle production rates.

Abstract

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.