2003/11/08 by P. K. Shukla, Padma K. Shukla, Mattias Marklund +3 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Computational physics #Dispersion relation #Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications #Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics #Modulational instability #Nonlinear system #Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics #Photon #Physics #Quantum electrodynamics #Quantum mechanics #astro-ph #hep-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.physleta.2004.07.073
published as Phys.Lett.A330:131-136,2004 · 4 pages, 2 figures, uses revtex4
arxiv created 2003/11/08 · openalex publication_date 2004/08/21 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The nonlinear propagation of intense incoherent photons in a photon gas is considered. The photon-photon interactions are governed by a pair of equations comprising a wave-kinetic equation for the incoherent photons in the presence of the slowly varying energy density perturbations of sound-like waves, and an equation for the latter waves in a background where the photon coupling is caused by quantum electrodynamical effects. The coupled equations are used to derive a dispersion relation, which admits new classes of modulational instabilities of incoherent photons. The present instabilities can lead to fragmentation of broadband short photon pulses in astrophysical and laboratory settings.