Thermal correction to the molar polarizability of a Boltzmann gas

Journal Article · Thu Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.84.064102· OSTI ID:22095741

Jentschura, U. D. ^[1]; Puchalski, M. ^[1]; Mohr, P. J. ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri 65409-0640 (United States)
2. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8420 (United States)

Metrology in atomic physics has been crucial for a number of advanced determinations of fundamental constants. In addition to very precise frequency measurements, the molar polarizability of an atomic gas has recently also been measured very accurately. Part of the motivation for the measurements is due to ongoing efforts to redefine the International System of Units (SI), for which an accurate value of the Boltzmann constant is needed. Here we calculate the dominant shift of the molar polarizability in an atomic gas due to thermal effects. It is given by the relativistic correction to the dipole interaction, which emerges when the probing electric field is Lorentz transformed into the rest frame of the atoms that undergo thermal motion. While this effect is small when compared to currently available experimental accuracy, the relativistic correction to the dipole interaction is much larger than the thermal shift of the polarizability induced by blackbody radiation.

• OSTI ID: 22095741
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 84; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ACCURACY
ATOMS
BLACKBODY RADIATION
CORRECTIONS
DIPOLES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FREQUENCY MEASUREMENT
FUNDAMENTAL CONSTANTS
LORENTZ TRANSFORMATIONS
POLARIZABILITY
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE