Experimental Observation of Acceleration-Induced Thermality

Abstract

The incorporation of classical general relativity into the framework of quantum field theory yielded a rather surprising result -- thermodynamic particle production. In short, for fundamental deformations in the structure of spacetime, quantum mechanics necessitates the creation of thermalized particles from the vacuum. One such phenomenon, known as the Unruh effect, causes empty space to effervesce a thermal bath of particles when viewed by an observer undergoing uniformly accelerated motion. These highly accelerated systems will also have an associated Rindler horizon which produces this Unruh radiation at the celebrated Fulling-Davies-Unruh temperature. For accelerated charges, the emission and absorption of this Unruh radiation will not only affect the associated Rindler horizon in accordance with the Bekenstein-Hawking area-entropy law, but will also imprint the FDU temperature on any photons emitted and subsequently detected in the laboratory. A recent series of high energy channeling experiments carried out by the NA63 collaboration at CERN have finally brought about the first observations and insights into the nature of the Unruh effect. In this presentation, I will discuss the various aspects of acceleration-induced thermality measured by these experiments at NA63.

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