Thermalization of a nonequilibrium electron-positron-photon plasma

Simple item page
dc.creatorAksenov, A. G.
dc.creatorRuffini, R.
dc.creatorVereshchagin, G. V.
dc.date2007-07-22
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T08:31:58Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T08:31:58Z
dc.descriptionStarting from a nonequilibrium configuration we analyse the essential role of the direct and the inverse binary and triple interactions in reaching an asymptotic thermal equilibrium in a homogeneous isotropic electron-positron-photon plasma. We focus on energies in the range 0.1--10 MeV. We numerically integrate the integro-partial differential relativistic Boltzmann equation with the exact QED collisional integrals taking into account all binary and triple interactions in the plasma. We show that first, when detailed balance is reached for all binary interactions on a timescale $t_{k}\lesssim10^{-14}$sec, photons and electron-positron pairs establish kinetic equilibrium. Successively, when triple interactions fulfill the detailed balance on a timescale $t_{eq}\lesssim10^{-12}$sec, the plasma reaches thermal equilibrium. It is shown that neglecting the inverse triple interactions prevents reaching thermal equilibrium. Our results obtained in the theoretical physics domain also find application in astrophysics and cosmology.
dc.description4 pages, 3 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett., to appear
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/0707.3250
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/0707.3250
dc.identifierPhys.Rev.Lett. 99 (2007) 125003
dc.identifierdoi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.125003
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/138658
dc.subjectPlasma Physics
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.subjectGeneral Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
dc.titleThermalization of a nonequilibrium electron-positron-photon plasma
dc.typetext

Files

Collections

arXiv