Researchers from the University of Brasilia, including C. Furtado, J. R. Nascimento, A. Yu. Petrov, and P. Porfirio, have recently published a study exploring the nonrelativistic effective potential in the context of the bumblebee model, a framework used to study the effects of Lorentz symmetry breaking in gravity. Their work, titled “Nonrelativistic effective potential of the bumblebee model,” was published in the journal Physical Review D.
In their research, the team delved into the weak gravity limit of the metric-affine bumblebee gravity theory, which is coupled with spinor matter. They focused on the nonrelativistic Breit potential, a key component in understanding the interactions between particles in this context. The study revealed that, in the lower order of the small coupling constant ξ and the Lorentz-violating vector βμ, the potential exhibits a 1/r asymptotics, which is consistent with the massless character of the theory.
The researchers found that higher orders in ξ lead to anisotropic modifications of the Coulomb potential, a phenomenon attributed to the breaking of Lorentz symmetry. This anisotropy implies that the potential is not uniformly distributed in all directions, which could have implications for the behavior of particles in certain gravitational fields.
For the lower-order modification of the effective potential, the team calculated Lorentz-violating corrections to the energy levels of the hydrogen atom. This finding is significant as it provides a way to test the predictions of the bumblebee model against observable quantities in atomic physics.
While the study is primarily theoretical, it offers insights that could be relevant to the energy sector, particularly in the development of advanced energy technologies that rely on precise control and manipulation of particles. Understanding the effects of Lorentz symmetry breaking could lead to innovations in areas such as nuclear energy, where the behavior of particles plays a crucial role. Additionally, the research contributes to the broader field of fundamental physics, which is essential for advancing our understanding of the universe and developing new technologies.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.