Axionic suppression of plasma wakefield acceleration

Burton, D A and Noble, A and Walton, T J (2016) Axionic suppression of plasma wakefield acceleration. Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 49 (38). 385501. ISSN 1751-8113

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    Abstract

    Contemporary attempts to explain the existence of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using plasma-based wakefield acceleration deliberately avoid non-Standard Model particle physics. However, such proposals exploit some of the most extreme environments in the Universe and it is conceivable that hypothetical particles outside the Standard Model have significant implications for the effectiveness of the acceleration process. Axions solve the strong CP problem and provide one of the most important candidates for Cold Dark Matter, and their potential significance in the present context should not be overlooked. Our analysis of the field equations describing a plasma augmented with axions uncovers a dramatic axion-induced suppression of the energy gained by a test particle in the wakefield driven by a particle bunch, or an intense pulse of electromagnetic radiation, propagating at ultra-relativistic speeds within the strongest magnetic fields in the Universe.

    ORCID iDs

    Burton, D A, Noble, A ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8181-7076 and Walton, T J;
    • Item type:Article
      ID code:57333
      Dates:
      Date
      Event
      26 August 2016
      Published
      29 July 2016
      Accepted
      Keywords:ultra-high energy cosmic rays, plasma, wakefield acceleration, axions, cold dark matter, field equations, electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, cosmic rays, astrophysics, Physics, Physics and Astronomy(all)
      Subjects:Science > Physics
      Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
      Depositing user: Pure Administrator
      Date deposited:10 Aug 2016 08:25
      Last modified:21 Jan 2021 09:13
      Related URLs:
      URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/57333
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