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Positronium-photon and photon-positronium quantum transitions in strong magnetic fields

Journal Article · · Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)
OSTI ID:6057882
The wave functions and energy levels of bound electron-positron pairs in a strong magnetic field H>>..cap alpha../sup 2/H/sub 0/, where H/sub 0/ = m/sup 2//sub 0/c/sup 3//eh = 4.4 x 10/sup 13/ G and ..cap alpha.. = e/sup 2//hc, are found in the nonrelativistic approximation. The probabilities of one-photon annihilation of positronium and of the inverse transition from a resonance photon to a positronium atom are calculated. It is shown that in a sufficiently strong magnetic field Happrox.H/sub 0/, when the probability of one-photon annihilation is considerably greater than the probability of two-photon annihilation of positronium, the lifetime of the decay photon with respect to the inverse transformation to a positronium atom is so small that the decay photon cannot propagate freely in the magnetic field. Therefore, the lifetime of the positronium atom in the case Happrox.H/sub 0/ is determined by the two-photon decay. The possibility of the decay ..gamma --> gamma../sub 1/+..gamma../sub 2/ via intermediate positronium states in a magnetic field with curved field lines is discussed.
Research Organization:
Institute of Terrestial Magnetism, Ionosphere; Radio-Wave Propagation, Academy of Sciences of the USSR
OSTI ID:
6057882
Journal Information:
Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. J. Nucl. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 42:2; ISSN SJNCA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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