An interpretation of the infrared singularity of the effective electromagnetic field

TL;DR

This paper revisits the infrared divergence issue in the effective electromagnetic field, proposing it as a form of electron thermalization, which is negligible compared to quantum spreading in real measurements.

Contribution

It offers a new interpretation of infrared singularity as electron thermalization within a non-equilibrium model, contrasting with previous views.

Findings

Infrared divergence can be viewed as electron thermalization.

Thermalization effects are negligible compared to quantum spreading.

The model uses low-temperature photon interactions.

Abstract

The problem of infrared divergence of the effective electromagnetic field produced by elementary particles is revisited using the non-equilibrium model of an electron interacting with low-temperature photons. It is argued that the infrared singularity of the effective field can be interpreted as a thermalization of the electron. It is shown that this thermalization is negligible in actual field measurements as it is completely dominated by the usual quantum spreading.