Paper detail

Wave-kinetic description of nonlinear photons

The nonlinear interaction, due to quantum electrodynamical (QED) effects, between photons is investigated using a wave-kinetic description. Starting from a coherent wave description, we use the Wigner transform technique to obtain a set of wave-kinetic equations, the so called Wigner-Moyal equations. These equations are coupled to a background radiation fluid, whose dynamics is determined by an acoustic wave equation. In the slowly varying acoustic limit, we analyse the resulting system of kinetic equations, and show that they describe instabilities, as well as Landau-like damping. The instabilities may lead to break-up and focusing of ultra-high intensity multi-beam systems, which in conjunction with the damping may result in stationary strong field structures. The results could be of relevance for the next generation of laser-plasma systems.