Electron-positron pair equilibrium in strongly magnetized plasmas

Abstract

Steady states of thermal electron-positron pair plasmas at mildly relativistic temperatures and in strong magnetic fields are investigated. The pair density in steady-state equilibrium, where pair production balances annihilation, is found as a function of temperature, magnetic field strength and source size, by a numerical calculation which includes pair production attenuation and Compton scattering of the photons. It is found that there is a maximum pair density for each value of temperature and field strength, and also a source size above which optically thin equilibrium states do not exist.