Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Limits on The Photon Mass
Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Limits on The Photon Mass
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DOI：
10.1103/revmodphys.43.277
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发表时间：
1971-07
影响因子：
44.1
通讯作者：
A. Goldhaber;M. Nieto
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
A. Goldhaber;M. Nieto
我们回顾了用于设置光子质量 $\ensuremath{\mu}$ 限制的方法。讨论了光速频率依赖性的直接测试，以及测试库仑定律及其在静磁学中的类似物的更灵敏的技术。有限 $\ensuremath{\mu}$ 的动态和静态含义之间的联系是从一组假设中推导出来的，这些假设使普罗卡方程成为麦克斯韦方程的独特推广。我们注意到一个神圣的假设，即能量守恒，可以使用脉冲星信号对其进行严格的测试。我们展示了旧方法和可能的新实验的优点，并讨论了有限 $\ensuremath{\mu}$ 的其他物理含义。证明了一个简单的定理：对于限制在 D 维中的实验，有限 $\ensuremath{\mu}$ 的影响具有量级 ${(\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{D})}^{2}$\char22{}，当振荡频率 $\ensuremath{\omega}$ 接近 $\ensuremath{\mu}$ 时，不存在“共振” ($\ensuremath{\hbar}=c=1$)。过去实验的最佳结果是 (a) 不同频率下 $c$ 的地面测量$\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\le}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}43}\mathrm{g}\ensuremath{\equiv}7\ifm模式\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\equiv}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10} \mathrm{eV}$ (b) 脉冲星信号中无线电色散的测量（口哨效应） $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\le}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}44}\mathrm{g}\ensuremath{\equiv}3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^ {\ensuremath{-}7}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\equiv}6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12} \mathrm{eV}$ (c) 库仑定律的实验室测试$\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\le}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}47}\mathrm{g}\ensuremath{\equiv}6\ifm模式\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\equiv}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}14} \mathrm{eV}$ (d) 地球表面恒定“外部”磁场的限制$\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\le}4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}48}\mathrm{g}\ensuremath{\equiv}{10}^ {\ensuremath{-}10}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\equiv}3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}15} \mathrm{eV}.$ 对银河磁场的观测可以极大地改善这一极限。
We give a review of methods used to set a limit on the mass $\ensuremath{\mu}$ of the photon. Direct tests for frequency dependence of the speed of light are discussed, along with more sensitive techniques which test Coulomb's Law and its analog in magnetostatics. The link between dynamic and static implications of finite $\ensuremath{\mu}$ is deduced from a set of postulates that make Proca's equations the unique generalization of Maxwell's. We note one hallowed postulate, that of energy conservation, which may be tested severely using pulsar signals. We present the merits of the old methods and of possible new experiments, and discuss other physical implications of finite $\ensuremath{\mu}$. A simple theorem is proved: For an experiment confined in dimensions D, effects of finite $\ensuremath{\mu}$ are of order ${(\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{D})}^{2}$\char22{}there is no "resonance" as the oscillation frequency $\ensuremath{\omega}$ approaches $\ensuremath{\mu}$ ($\ensuremath{\hbar}=c=1$). The best results from past experiments are (a) terrestrial measurements of $c$ at different frequencies $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\le}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}43}\mathrm{g}\ensuremath{\equiv}7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\equiv}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10} \mathrm{eV}$ (b) measurements of radio dispersion in pulsar signals (whistler effect) $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\le}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}44}\mathrm{g}\ensuremath{\equiv}3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\equiv}6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12} \mathrm{eV}$ (c) laboratory tests of Coulomb's law $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\le}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}47}\mathrm{g}\ensuremath{\equiv}6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\equiv}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}14} \mathrm{eV}$ (d) limits on a constant "external" magnetic field at the earth's surface $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\le}4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}48}\mathrm{g}\ensuremath{\equiv}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\equiv}3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}15} \mathrm{eV}.$ Observations of the Galactic magnetic field could improve the limit dramatically.