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Quantum plasmadynamics: role of the electron self-energy and the vertex correction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

D. B. Melrose
Affiliation:
Research Centre for Theoretical Astrophysics, School of Physics, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
S. J. Hardy
Affiliation:
Research Centre for Theoretical Astrophysics, School of Physics, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia

Abstract

The linear response 4-tensor for a relativistic quantum electron gas may be calculated by reinterpreting the electron propagator in the expression for the vacuum polarization tensor as statistical averages over the electron gas. We apply a similar procedure to two other radiative corrections: the electron self-energy and the vertex correction. When the photon propagator in these expressions is interpreted as a statistical average over a distribution of waves in the medium, these radiative corrections lead to a relativistic quantum expression for the ponderomotive force and to a new class of ‘hybrid’ emission processes.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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