Pair production in a strong slowly varying magnetic field: the effect of a background gravitational field

The production probability of an $e^--e^+$ pair in the presence of a strong, uniform and slowly varying magnetic field is calculated by taking into account the presence of a background gravitational field. The curvature of the spacetime metric induced by the gravitational field not only changes the transition probabilities calculated in the Minkowski spacetime but also primes transitions that are strictly forbidden in absence of the gravitational field.Comment: 56 pages, no figure

Coulomb-Blockade directional coupler

A tunable directional coupler based on Coulomb Blockade effect is presented. Two electron waveguides are coupled by a quantum dot to an injector waveguide. Electron confinement is obtained by surface Schottky gates on single GaAs/AlGaAs heterojunction. Magneto-electrical measurements down to 350 mK are presented and large transconductance oscillations are reported on both outputs up to 4.2 K. Experimental results are interpreted in terms of Coulomb Blockade effect and the relevance of the present design strategy for the implementation of an electronic multiplexer is underlined.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Applied Physics Letter

Nonlinear double Compton scattering in the full quantum regime

A detailed analysis of the process of two photon emission by an electron scattered from a high-intensity laser pulse is presented. The calculations are performed in the framework of strong-field QED and include exactly the presence of the laser field, described as a plane wave. We investigate the full quantum regime of interaction, where photon recoil plays an essential role in the emission process, and substantially alters the emitted photon spectra as compared to those in previously-studied regimes. We provide a semiclassical explanation for such differences, based on the possibility of assigning a trajectory to the electron in the laser field before and after each quantum photon emission. Our numerical results indicate the feasibility of investigating experimentally the full quantum regime of nonlinear double Compton scattering with already available plasma-based electron accelerator and laser technology.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

High-energy e+e−e^+e^- photoproduction cross section close to the end of spectrum

We consider the cross section of electron-positron pair production by a high-energy photon in a strong Coulomb field close to the end of electron or positron spectrum. We show that the cross section essentially differs from the result obtained in the Born approximation as well as form the result which takes into account the Coulomb corrections under assumption that both electron and positron are ultrarelativistic. The cross section of bremsstrahlung in a strong Coulomb field by a high-energy electron is also obtained in the region where the final electron is not ultrarelativistic.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure

Post-test simulations for the NACIE-UP benchmark by STH codes

This paper illustrates the results obtained in the last phase of the NACIE-UP benchmark activity foreseen inside the EU SESAME Project. The purpose of this research activity, performed by system thermal–hydraulic (STH) codes, is finalized to the improvement, development and validation of existing STH codes for Heavy Liquid Metal (HLM) systems. All the participants improved their modelling of the NACIE-UP facility, respect to the initial blind simulation phase, adopting the actual experimental boundary conditions and reducing as much as possible sources of uncertainty in their numerical model. Four different STH codes were employed by the participants to the benchmark to model the NACIE-UP facility, namely: CATHARE for ENEA, ATHLET for GRS, RELAP5-3D© for the “Sapienza” University of Rome and RELAP5/Mod3.3(modified) for the University of Pisa. Three reference tests foreseen in the NACIE-UP benchmark and carried out at ENEA Brasimone Research Centre were analysed from four participants. The data from the post-test analyses, performed independently by the participant using different STH codes, were compared together and with the available experimental results and critically discussed

An Impacting Descent Probe for Europa and the other Galilean Moons of Jupiter

We present a study of an impacting descent probe that increases the science return of spacecraft orbiting or passing an atmosphere-less planetary body of the solar system, such as the Galilean moons of Jupiter. The descent probe is a carry-on small spacecraft (< 100 kg), to be deployed by the mother spacecraft, that brings itself onto a collisional trajectory with the targeted planetary body in a simple manner. A possible science payload includes instruments for surface imaging, characterisation of the neutral exosphere, and magnetic field and plasma measurement near the target body down to very low-altitudes (~1 km), during the probe's fast (~km/s) descent to the surface until impact. The science goals and the concept of operation are discussed with particular reference to Europa, including options for flying through water plumes and after-impact retrieval of very-low altitude science data. All in all, it is demonstrated how the descent probe has the potential to provide a high science return to a mission at a low extra level of complexity, engineering effort, and risk. This study builds upon earlier studies for a Callisto Descent Probe (CDP) for the former Europa-Jupiter System Mission (EJSM) of ESA and NASA, and extends them with a detailed assessment of a descent probe designed to be an additional science payload for the NASA Europa Mission.Comment: 34 pages, 11 figure

Properties of electrons scattered on a strong plane electromagnetic wave with a linear polarization: classical treatment

The relations among the components of the exit momenta of ultrarelativistic electrons scattered on a strong electromagnetic wave of a low (optical) frequency and linear polarization are established using the exact solutions to the equations of motion with radiation reaction included (the Landau-Lifshitz equation). It is found that the momentum components of the electrons traversed the electromagnetic wave depend weakly on the initial values of the momenta. These electrons are mostly scattered at the small angles to the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave. The maximum Lorentz factor of the electrons crossed the electromagnetic wave is proportional to the work done by the electromagnetic field and is independent of the initial momenta. The momentum component parallel to the electric field strength vector of the electromagnetic wave is determined only by the diameter of the laser beam measured in the units of the classical electron radius. As for the reflected electrons, they for the most part lose the energy, but remain relativistic. There is a reflection law for these electrons that relates the incident and the reflection angles and is independent of any parameters.Comment: 12 pp, 3 fig

Enhancement of vacuum polarization effects in a plasma

The dispersive effects of vacuum polarization on the propagation of a strong circularly polarized electromagnetic wave through a cold collisional plasma are studied analytically. It is found that, due to the singular dielectric features of the plasma, the vacuum effects on the wave propagation in a plasma are qualitatively different and much larger than those in pure vacuum in the regime when the frequency of the propagating wave approaches the plasma frequency. A possible experimental setup to detect these effects in plasma is described.Comment: 33 pages, 3 figure