Beta decay and other processes in strong electromagnetic fields

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physics of Atomic Nuclei

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063778811080035· OSTI ID:22043856

We consider effects of the fields of strong electromagnetic waves on various characteristics of quantum processes. After a qualitative discussion of the effects of external fields on the energy spectra and angular distributions of the final-state particles as well as on the total probabilities of the processes (such as decay rates and total cross sections), we present a simple method of calculating the total probabilities of processes with production of nonrelativistic charged particles. Using nuclear {beta} decay as an example, we study the weak- and strong-field limits, as well as the field-induced {beta} decay of nuclei stable in the absence of the external fields, both in the tunneling and multiphoton regimes. We also consider the possibility of accelerating forbidden nuclear {beta} decays by lifting the forbiddeness due to the interaction of the parent or daughter nuclei with the field of a strong electromagnetic wave. It is shown that for currently attainable electromagnetic fields all effects on total {beta}-decay rates are unobservably small.

• OSTI ID: 22043856
• Journal Information: Physics of Atomic Nuclei, Journal Name: Physics of Atomic Nuclei Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 74; ISSN 1063-7788; ISSN PANUEO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
BETA DECAY
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY SPECTRA
MULTI-PHOTON PROCESSES
NUCLEI
PROBABILITY
TOTAL CROSS SECTIONS
TUNNEL EFFECT