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[20.06] Two Photon Pair Annihilation in Strong Magnetic Fields

D.A. Leahy (University of Calgary), L. Semionova (University of Costa Rica, Heredia)

Here are presented some new calculations of rates for two photon pair annihilation in strong magnetic fields.

The motivations for the calculations are as follows. Recently more evidence has accrued for the existence of magnetars, neutron stars with magnetic fields 10¹³ to 10¹⁵ Gauss. Due to the anisotropy provided by the magnetic field, the rates are strongly dependent on electron and positron spin and on the photon polarization vector. Previous calculations did not consider the polarization dependence of the rates or assumed fields B<< B_crit=4.4\times 10¹³ Gauss. The calculations here are valid for fields B smaller or larger than B_crit and correctly treat the spin polarization of electrons and positrons and the vector polarization of the photons.

D.L. acknowledges support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#2
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.