2010/01/01 by Tekin Dereli, T. Dereli, R. W. Tucker +1 · 2 citations
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Charged particle #Classical electromagnetism #Classical mechanics #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Coupling (piping) #Electromagnetic field #Field (mathematics) #Ion #Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics #Magnetar #Magnetic field #Maxwell's equations #Motion (physics) #Physics #Plasma #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #Quantum electrodynamics #Quantum mechanics #Theoretical physics #math-ph #math.MP #msc:02.40.Hw #msc:03.50.De #msc:41.20.-q
paper · pdf · doi:10.1209/0295-5075/89/20009
To appear in Europhysics Letters
openalex publication_date 2010/01/01 · arxiv created 2010/01/08 · arxiv updated 2015/05/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The electromagnetic fields in Maxwell's theory satisfy linear equations in the classical vacuum. This is modified in classical non-linear electrodynamic theories. To date there has been little experimental evidence that any of these modified theories are tenable. However with the advent of high-intensity lasers and powerful laboratory magnetic fields this situation may be changing. We argue that an approach involving the self-consistent relativistic motion of a smooth fluid-like distribution of matter (composed of a large number of charged or neutral particles) in an electromagnetic field offers a viable theoretical framework in which to explore the experimental consequences of non-linear electrodynamics. We construct such a model based on the theory of Born and Infeld and suggest that a simple laboratory experiment involving the propagation of light in a static magnetic field could be used to place bounds on the fundamental coupling in that theory. Such a framework has many applications including a new description of the motion of particles in modern accelerators and plasmas as well as phenomena in astrophysical contexts such as in the environment of magnetars, quasars and gamma-ray bursts.