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VERSION:2.0
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
BEGIN:VEVENT
SEQUENCE:0
UID:UW-Physics-Event-1606
DTSTART:20091015T210000Z
DURATION:PT1H0M0S
DTSTAMP:20260415T135311Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20091014T160913Z
LOCATION:4274 Chamberlin
SUMMARY:The Search for the Schwinger Effect: Nonperturbative Vacuum Pa
 ir Production\, NPAC (Nuclear/Particle/Astro/Cosmo) Forum\, Gerald Dun
 ne\, University of Connecticut
DESCRIPTION:The fact that the QED vacuum is unstable via the productio
 n of<br>
\nelectron-positron pairs in the presence of an external elec
 tric field is one of the first non-trivial predictions of QED\, due to
  Heisenberg and Euler\, and  later formalized by Schwinger. This non-p
 erturbative effect has implications and analogies in QCD and gravitati
 onal physics. However\, the effect is so weak that it has still not be
 en directly observed. But recent experimental progress in ultra-intens
 e laser systems has brought us<br>
\ntantalizingly close to seeing thi
 s non-perturbative particle production. I will review the current stat
 us and describe some new theoretical ideas aimed at making this proces
 s accessible.
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=1606
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