Covariant Calculations at Finite Temperature: The Relativistic Plasma
Apr, 198239 pages
Published in:
- Phys.Rev.D 26 (1982) 1394
Report number:
- PRINT-82-0313 (PENN)
Citations per year
Abstract: (APS)
It is shown that finite-temperature calculations in field theory are manifestly Lorentz covariant at all stages if the Minkowski-space form of the temperature-dependent propagators is used and if the four-velocity uμ of the heat bath is taken into account. New tensor structures involving uμ generally arise but are severely constrained by covariant current conservation. A complete high-temperature (T≫m) expansion of the vacuum polarization tensor for non-Abelian gauge theories is computed to order g2 and displays the separate dependence on frequency ω and wave number k that occurs at finite temperature. A covariant phenomenology of "electric" and "magnetic" properties is applied to the collective plasma effects, characterized by a plasma frequency ωp2=(Nf+2N)g2T26 for SU(N) with Nf fermions. The longitudinal normal modes of the "electric" field exist only for ω>ωp; for ω<ωp all "electric" fields are screened. The transverse normal modes are plane waves along Ẽ×B̃ for ω>ωp; for ω<ωp both transverse "electric" and "magnetic" fields are shielded except for the static (ω=0) case.- FIELD THEORY: FINITE TEMPERATURE
- INVARIANCE: LORENTZ
- FIELD THEORY: VACUUM POLARIZATION
- VACUUM POLARIZATION: FIELD THEORY
- PLASMA
- GAUGE FIELD THEORY: SU(N)
- FERMION: FIELD THEORY
- ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD
- EFFECT: SCREENING
- THERMODYNAMICS
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