Dispersion theory of nucleon (nucleus) Compton scattering spin polarizabilities and quasi-optical $\gamma$-ray polarization plane rotation and birefringence effect in a matter with polarized protons (nuclei)

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical and experimental prospects of observing polarization plane rotation and birefringence effects of gamma rays in polarized nuclear matter, revealing insights into spin polarizabilities and gamma-ray energy dependence.

Contribution

It introduces a dispersion theory for nucleon and nucleus Compton scattering spin polarizabilities and proposes experimental methods to observe gamma-ray polarization effects in polarized nuclear matter.

Findings

Experimental feasibility of gamma-ray polarization plane rotation demonstrated.

Prediction of gamma-ray birefringence in polarized nuclear matter.

Potential to study spin polarizability dependence on gamma-ray energy.

Abstract

Experimental observation of quasi-optical phenomenon of $\gamma$-quanta polarization plane rotation in matter with polarized proton (nuclei) is demonstrated to be possible. This effect is similar to the magneto-optic Faraday effect (Faraday optical rotation). Quasi-optical birefringence effect for $\gamma$-quanta in matter with polarized nuclei having spin $S \ge 1$ could also be observed. The latter effect is similar to double refraction (birefringence) of light in uniaxial and biaxial crystals. The above phenomena open up possibility to investigate how spin vector and tensor polarizabilities depend on $\gamma$-quanta energy. In particular, studying the effect of $\gamma$-quanta polarization plane rotation, it is possible to find the range of $\gamma$-quanta energies, which is associated with strong dependence of spin polarizability on $\gamma$-quanta energy.