Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8132791 | Astroparticle Physics | 2016 | 23 Pages |
Abstract
Our understanding of the universe at large and small scales relies largely on electromagnetic observations. As photons are the messengers, fundamental physics has a concern in testing their properties, including the absence of mass. We use Cluster four spacecraft data in the solar wind at 1 AU to estimate the mass upper limit for the photon. We look for deviations from Ampère's law, through the curlometer technique for the computation of the magnetic field, and through the measurements of ion and electron velocities for the computation of the current. We show that the upper bound for mγ lies between 1.4Ã10â49 and 3.4Ã10â51 kg, and thereby discuss the currently accepted lower limits in the solar wind.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Authors
Alessandro Retinò, Alessandro D.A.M. Spallicci, Andris Vaivads,