Constraints on violation of Lorentz invariance from atmospheric showers initiated by multi-TeV photons

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 2017 · Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2017/05/049· OSTI ID:22676191

Rubtsov, Grigory; Satunin, Petr; Sibiryakov, Sergey ^[1]

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1. Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 60th October Anniversary Prospect, 7a, 117312 Moscow (Russian Federation)

Parameterizing hypothetical violation of Lorentz invariance at high energies using the framework of effective quantum field theory, we discuss its effect on the formation of atmospheric showers by very-high-energy gamma rays. In the scenario where Lorentz invariance violation leads to a decrease of the photon velocity with energy the formation of the showers is suppressed compared to the Lorentz invariant case. Absence of such suppression in the high-energy part of spectrum of the Crab nebula measured independently by HEGRA and H.E.S.S. collaborations is used to set lower bounds on the energy scale of Lorentz invariance violation. These bounds are competitive with the strongest existing constraints obtained from timing of variable astrophysical sources and the absorption of TeV photons on the extragalactic background light. They will be further improved by the next generation of multi-TeV gamma-ray observatories.

• OSTI ID: 22676191
• Journal Information: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Journal Issue: 05 Vol. 2017; ISSN 1475-7516
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ABSORPTION
ASTROPHYSICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CRAB NEBULA
EXTENSIVE AIR SHOWERS
GAMMA RADIATION
LORENTZ INVARIANCE
PHOTONS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
SPECTRA
TEV RANGE
VELOCITY
VISIBLE RADIATION