Propagation of Partially Coherent Photons in an Ultra-Intense Radiation Gas

Abstract

The scattering of photons off photons at the one-loop level is investigated. We give a short review of the weak field limit, as given by the first order term in the series expansion of the Heisenberg-Euler Lagrangian. The dispersion relation for a photon in a radiation gas is presented. Based on this, a wave kinetic equation and a set of fluid equations is formulated. These equations describe the interaction between a partially coherent electromagnetic pulse and an intense radiation gas. The implications of the results are discussed.

Comments: 10 pages, 1 figure, revtex4