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Dan Christensen

Publications and source records attributed to Dan Christensen.

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Numerical calculation of classical and non-classical electrostatic potentials

We present a numerical exercise in which classical and non-classical electrostatic potentials were calculated. The non-classical fields take into account effects due to a possible non-zero photon rest mass. We show that in the limit of small photon rest mass, both the classical and non-classical potential can be found by solving Poisson's equation twice, using the first calculation as a source term in the second calculation. Our results support the assumptions in a recent proposal to use ion interferometry to search for a non-zero photon rest mass.

physics.comp-ph

The Causal Structure of Two-Dimensional Spacetimes

We investigate the causal structure of $(1+1)$-dimensional spacetimes. For two sets of field equations we show that at least locally any spacetime is a solution for an appropriate choice of the matter fields. For the theories under consideration we investigate how smoothness of their black hole solutions affects time orientation. We show that if an analog to Hawking's area theorem holds in two spacetime dimensions, it must actually state that the size of a black hole never {\em increases}, contrary to what happens in four dimensions. Finally, we discuss the applicability of the Penrose and Hawking singularity theorems to two spacetime dimensions.

hep-th