Self-force on a charged particle in an external scalar field

Noble, Adam and Burton, David and Docherty, Lauren and Jaroszynski, Dino A. (2021) Self-force on a charged particle in an external scalar field. New Journal of Physics, 23: 115007. ISSN 1367-2630

Text (Noble+et+al_2021_New_J._Phys._10.1088_1367-2630_ac3262)
Noble_et_al_2021_New_J._Phys._10.1088_1367_2630_ac3262.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (365kB)

Abstract

A charged particle subject to strong external forces will accelerate, and so radiate energy, inducing a self-force. This phenomenon remains contentious, but advances in laser technology mean we will soon encounter regimes where a more complete understanding is essential. The terms "self-force" and "radiation reaction" are often used synonymously, but reflect different aspects of the recoil force. For a particle accelerating in an electromagnetic field, radiation reaction is usually the dominant self-force, but in a scalar field this is not the case, and the total effect of the self-force can be anti-frictional. Aspects of this self-force can be recast in terms of spacetime geometry, and this interpretation illuminates the long-standing enigma of a particle radiating while experiencing no self-force.