Some manifestations of nonlinearity in quantum electrodynamics with strong fields

by Prof. Anatoly Shabad (P.N. Lebedev Physics Institute)

Friday 18 Jun 2010, 11:00 → 12:00 Europe/Zurich

TH Theory Conference Room (CERN)

I am going to discuss a number of effects of interaction between a strong magnetic+electric field and a small field of a photon or of a static electric charge that are due to the known nonlinearity of quantum electrodynamics. Among these effects there are: photon capture in magnetosphere of a pulsar thanks to formation of a mixed photon-positronium state; collapse of positronium in asymptotically strong magnetic field that supplies us with an upper boundary (which is of Planck scale) for possible magnetic fields; other instabilities of magnetic field of the same scale and appearance of tachyons; dimensional reduction of the electric field of a point-like static charge in a strong magnetic field, which shrinks this field to a string with a “confining” potential along it; magneto-electric effect as examplified by the monopole-like magnetic field produced by an electric charge in the magnetic+electric background