Radiation reaction on charged particles in three-dimensional motion in classical and quantum electrodynamics

A Higuchi, G D R Martin

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Abstract

We extend our previous work [A. Higuchi and G. D. R. Martin, Found. Phys. 35, 1149 (2005)], which compared the predictions of quantum electrodynamics concerning radiation reaction with those of the Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac theory for a charged particle in linear motion. Specifically, we calculate the predictions for the change in position of a charged-scalar particle, moving in three-dimensional space, due to the effect of radiation reaction in the one-photon-emission process in quantum electrodynamics. The scalar particle is assumed to be accelerated for a finite period of time by a three-dimensional electromagnetic potential dependent only on one of the spacetime coordinates. We perform this calculation in the h -> 0 limit and show that the change in position agrees with that obtained in classical electrodynamics with the Lorentz-Dirac force treated as a perturbation. We also show for a time-dependent but space-independent electromagnetic potential that the forward-scattering amplitude at order e(2) does not contribute to the position change in the h -> 0 limit after the mass renormalization is taken into account.

Original languageEnglish
Article number025019
Pages (from-to)-
Number of pages12
JournalPhysical review d
Volume73
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2006

Keywords

  • MAXWELL TENSOR

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