Using plasma physics to weigh the photon

Ryutov, D. D.

doi:10.1088/0741-3335/49/12b/s40

Cited by 100 publications

(112 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The Particle Data Group (Olive & Particle Data Group 2014) suggests the currently accepted upper limit on the photon mass is m γ ≤ 1.5 × 10 −51 g, almost 10 24 times smaller than the electron mass, and this value was obtained by analyzing the magnetohydrodynamic phenomena of the solar wind at Pluto's orbit (Ryutov 2007). Since the photon mass is quite impressively small, there is no essential effect on atomic and nuclear physics; and it is extremely difficult to improve this limit by laboratory experiments.…”

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confidence: 99%

New limits on the photon mass with radio pulsars in the Magellanic clouds

Wei

Zhang

et al. 2017

Res. Astron. Astrophys.

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A conservative constraint on the rest mass of the photon can be estimated under the assumption that the frequency dependence of dispersion from astronomical sources is mainly contributed by the nonzero photon mass effect. Photon mass limits have been earlier set through the optical emissions of the Crab Nebula pulsar, but we prove that these limits can be significantly improved with the dispersion measure (DM) measurements of radio pulsars in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The combination of DM measurements of pulsars and distances of the Magellanic Clouds provide a strict upper limit on the photon mass as low as m γ ≤ 2.0 × 10 −45 g, which is at least four orders of magnitude smaller than the constraint from the Crab Nebula pulsar. Although our limit is not as tight as the current best result (∼ 10 −47 g) from a fast radio burst (FRB 150418) at a cosmological distance, the cosmological origin of FRB 150418 remains under debate; and our limit can reach the same high precision of FRB 150418 when it has an extragalactic origin (∼ 10 −45 g).

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confidence: 99%

New limits on the photon mass with radio pulsars in the Magellanic clouds

Wei

Zhang

et al. 2017

Res. Astron. Astrophys.

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“…D ), deviations from the observed flow structure would become grossly incompatible with observations, thereby setting the upper bound on the photon mass. This then yielded an upper bound for m ph at the level of m ph < 1.5×10 -51 g [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A brief history of these earlier attempts is summarized in Ref. [5]. An insightful review of the photon mass issues was written recently by A. Goldhaber and M. Nieto [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[5] by the analysis of the solar wind data at the Pluto orbit collected by the Voyager 1 and 2 missions. The approach used in Ref.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The approach used in Ref. [5] was as follows: Based on the knowledge of the global magnetic field of the Solar wind, one could evaluate its vector potential A and -via Eq. (2) -the current j required to sustain the observed magnetic field B.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Constraints on the Photon Mass from the Galactic Magnetic Field Structure

Ryutov¹

2010

AIP Conference Proceedings

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Abstract. The most efficient way to constrain the photon mass (m ph ) is related to observations of largescale magnetic fields in space physics and astrophysics. This approach is based on the change in the Ampere law caused by the finite m ph . In 1990s, a consistent set of MHD equations allowing for the finite m ph has been written and later used to analyze the solar wind data from the Voyager 1 and 2 missions. This lead to an estimate m ph <1.5×10 -51 g, the value currently recommended by the bi-annual compendium of the Particle Data Group. The further progress in constraining the photon mass may come from considering the dynamics of large-scale magnetic fields in astrophysics, in particular, the magnetic field of galaxies. The paper is concerned with related opportunities and challenges, including the problem posed by the simultaneous presence of large-scale and much stronger small-scale magnetic fields. Effects of recycling of the interstellar plasma involving dense molecular clouds, protostars and supernovae explosions are discussed. Possible approaches to pushing the upper bound to a limit well below 10 -51 g are discussed.

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Proca Metamaterials, Massive Electromagnetism, and Spatial Dispersion

Mikki

2021

Annalen der Physik

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A class of electromagnetic metamaterials (MTMs) is investigated, which the author dubs Proca MTMs, constituting a medium behaving like a “relativistic material” for potential use in electromagnetic applications. This work is motivated by numerous previous results on particular structures such as plasma, waveguides, photonic crystals, magnetic materials, where it has been observed that photons may acquire mass in some dispersive domains. In this approach, it is rigorously proved using a field‐theoretic approach that Maxwell theory inside certain classes of nonlocal (spatially‐dispersive) metamaterials is equivalent to Proca theory in vacuum, where in the latter photons acquire a nonzero mass (massive electromagnetism.) An explicit closed‐form general expression for the Proca MTM dielectric function is given. It turns out that the key to the operation of Proca MTM is spatial dispersion, and hence Proca MTMs represent an important example of the more general family of nonlocal MTMs. The author's analysis involves multiphysics aspects, utilizing concepts and methods taken from classical electromagnetism, special relativity, quantum theory, electromagnetic materials, and antenna theory. Extensive discussion of the physics, computational methods, and design parameters of Proca MTMs is provided to further understand the nature of massive electromagnetism in nonlocal (spatially‐dispersive) MTMs. As a concrete application, the main ingredients of Proca antennas are developed as an example of the emerging technology of nonlocal antennas, where the author establishes that a single Proca dipole possesses a perfect isotropic radiation pattern, a noteworthy departure from conventional local antennas (radiators in vacuum and temporally dispersive media) where such radiation characteristics is impossible.

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Using plasma physics to weigh the photon

Cited by 100 publications

References 42 publications

New limits on the photon mass with radio pulsars in the Magellanic clouds

New limits on the photon mass with radio pulsars in the Magellanic clouds

Constraints on the Photon Mass from the Galactic Magnetic Field Structure

Proca Metamaterials, Massive Electromagnetism, and Spatial Dispersion

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