Kinetic theory for spin-polarized relativistic plasmas

TL;DR

This paper develops a relativistic kinetic theory for spin-polarized plasmas incorporating QED effects, analyzing spin dynamics, radiation reaction, and anomalous precession in high-field laser interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel kinetic framework for spin-polarized relativistic plasmas with QED effects, including equations for quantum radiation reaction and spin dynamics.

Findings

Derived equations for spin-polarized quantum radiation reaction.

Identified spin-dependent radiation reaction terms.

Analyzed anomalous precession from one-loop self-energy contributions.

Abstract

The investigation of spin and polarization effects in ultra-high intensity laser-plasma and laser-beam interactions has become an emergent topic in high-field science recently. In this paper we derive a relativistic kinetic description of spin-polarized plasmas, where QED effects are taken into account via Boltzmann-type collision operators under the local constant field approximation. The emergence of anomalous precession is derived from one-loop self-energy contributions in a strong background field. We are interested, in particular, in the interplay between radiation reaction effects and the spin polarization of the radiating particles. For this we derive equations for spin-polarized quantum radiation reaction from moments of the spin-polarized kinetic equations. By comparing with the classical theory, we identify and discuss the spin-dependent radiation reaction terms, and radiative contributions to spin dynamics.