Radiation Damping at a Bubble Wall

TL;DR

This paper investigates how electromagnetic radiation emitted by charged particles during bubble wall collisions in a first order phase transition causes radiation damping, affecting the bubble wall dynamics even at thermal equilibrium.

Contribution

It introduces the concept that radiation damping from charged particles influences bubble wall velocity, a factor previously overlooked in phase transition models.

Findings

Radiation damping depends on bubble wall velocity.

Damping affects bubble wall dynamics at thermal equilibrium.

Electromagnetic radiation causes energy loss impacting phase transition processes.

Abstract

The first order phase transition proceeds via nucleation and growth of true vacuum bubbles. When charged particles collide with the bubble they could radiate electromagnetic wave. We show that, due to an energy loss of the particles by the radiation, the damping pressure acting on the bubble wall depends on the velocity of the wall even in a thermal equilibrium state.