Using plasma physics to weigh the photon
Using plasma physics to weigh the photon
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DOI：
10.1088/0741-3335/49/12b/s40
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发表时间：
2007-12
影响因子：
2.2
通讯作者：
D. Ryutov
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
D. Ryutov
目前公认的光子质量上限mph比电子质量小22个数量级。由于质量mph如此之小，它基本上对原子和核物理没有影响；而且很难通过实验室实验来改进这一估计。然而，即使是非常小的质量也可能对发生在超过光子康普顿长度(指当前接受的质量)的尺度上的天体物理现象产生重大影响。用一组磁流体力学方程(假设光子质量有限)分析了冥王星轨道上太阳风的性质。这使得对光子质量的估计提高(减少)了70倍。讨论了根据较大尺度天体的性质，进一步降低最高PH值上限的可能机会和挑战。
The currently accepted value for the upper bound for the photon mass, mph, is 22 orders of magnitude less than the electron mass. As the mass mph is so incredibly small, it has essentially no effect on atomic and nuclear physics; and it is very difficult to improve this estimate by laboratory experiments. However, even a very small mass may have a significant effect on astrophysical phenomena occurring on a scale exceeding the photon Compton length (where for the currently accepted mass). A set of magnetohydrodynamic equations (assuming a finite photon mass) are used to analyze properties of the solar wind at Pluto's orbit. This yields an improved (reduced) by a factor of 70 estimate of the photon mass. Possible opportunities and challenges for the further reduction of the upper limit for mph based on the properties of larger-scale astrophysical objects are discussed.