Classical zitterbewegung in reduced plasma dynamics

TL;DR

This paper explores how dynamical reduction of the Vlasov-Maxwell equations introduces classical zitterbewegung effects in plasma dynamics, affecting energy-momentum tensors and generating intrinsic spin angular momentum.

Contribution

It demonstrates the emergence of classical zitterbewegung effects and intrinsic spin phenomena from reduced plasma models derived from Vlasov-Maxwell equations.

Findings

Asymmetric canonical energy-momentum tensor due to reduced dynamics

Decoupling of kinetic momentum and velocity in plasma

Generation of intrinsic spin angular momentum from reduced effects

Abstract

The process of dynamical reduction of the Vlasov-Maxwell equations leads to the introduction of classical {\it zitterbewegung} effects in reduced plasma dynamics. These effects manifest themselves in the form of an asymmetric canonical energy-momentum tensor involving the decoupling of the reduced kinetic momentum ${\bf p}$ from the reduced velocity ${\bf u}$ (i.e., ${\bf u}\btimes{\bf p} \neq 0$) as well as reduced polarization and magnetization effects. The reduced intrinsic torque generated by the antisymmetric part of the canonical energy-momentum tensor, which is calculated from the reduced ponderomotive potential, acts as the source for the intrinsic (spin) angular momentum.