Linear pair-creation damping of high-frequency plasma oscillation

We have studied the linear dispersion relation for Langmuir waves in plasmas of very high density, based on Dirac–Heisenberg–Wigner formalism. The vacuum contribution to physical observables leads ultraviolet divergences, which are removed by a charge renormalization. remaining is small and agreement with previously derived expressions time-dependent polarization. main new feature theory damping mechanism similar Landau damping, but where plasmon energy gives rise creation electron–positron pairs. dependence rate (pair-creation rate) wavenumber, temperature, density analyzed. Finally, analytical results linearized compared numerical solutions.