Pla, S., & Winstanley, E. (2023). Equivalence of the adiabatic expansion and Hadamard renormalization for a charged scalar field. Phys. Rev. D, 107(2), 025004–22pp.
Abstract: We examine the relationship between three approaches (Hadamard, DeWitt-Schwinger, and adiabatic) to the renormalization of expectation values of field operators acting on a charged quantum scalar field. First, we demonstrate that the DeWitt-Schwinger representation of the Feynman Green's function is a particular case of the Hadamard representation. Next, we restrict attention to a spatially flat Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker universe with time-dependent, purely electric, background electromagnetic field, considering two-, three-, and four-dimensional space-times. Working to the order required for the renormalization of the stress-energy tensor, we find the adiabatic and DeWitt-Schwinger expansions of the Green's function when the space-time points are spatially separated. In two and four dimensions, the resulting DeWitt-Schwinger and adiabatic expansions are identical. In three dimensions, the DeWittSchwinger expansion contains terms of adiabatic order 4 that are not necessary for the renormalization of the stress-energy tensor and hence absent in the adiabatic expansion. The equivalence of the DeWittSchwinger and adiabatic approaches to renormalization in the scenario considered is thereby demonstrated in even dimensions. In odd dimensions the situation is less clear and further investigation is required in order to determine whether adiabatic renormalization is a locally covariant renormalization prescription.
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Pla, S., Newsome, I. M., Link, R. S., Anderson, P. R., & Navarro-Salas, J. (2021). Pair production due to an electric field in 1+1 dimensions and the validity of the semiclassical approximation. Phys. Rev. D, 103(10), 105003–23pp.
Abstract: Solutions to the backreaction equation in 1 + 1-dimensional semiclassical electrodynamics are obtained and analyzed when considering a time-varying homogeneous electric field initially generated by a classical electric current, coupled to either a quantized scalar field or a quantized spin-1/2 field. Particle production by way of the Schwinger effect leads to backreaction effects that modulate the electric field strength. Details of the particle production process are investigated along with the transfer of energy between the electric field and the particles. The validity of the semiclassical approximation is also investigated using a criterion previously implemented for chaotic inflation and, in an earlier form, semiclassical gravity. The criterion states that the semiclassical approximation will break down if any linearized gauge-invariant quantity constructed from solutions to the linear response equation, with finite nonsingular data, grows rapidly for some period of time. Approximations to homogeneous solutions of the linear response equation are computed and it is found that the criterion is violated when the maximum value, E-max, obtained by the electric field is of the order of the critical scale for the Schwinger effect, E-max similar to E-crit m(2)/q, where m is the mass of the quantized field and q is its electric charge. For these approximate solutions the criterion appears to be satisfied in the extreme limits qE(max)/m(2) << 1 and qE(max)/m(2) >> 1.
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Piriz, G. H., Gonzalez-Sprinberg, G. A., Ballester, F., & Vijande, J. (2024). Dosimetry of Large Field Valencia applicators for Cobalt-60-based brachytherapy. Med. Phys., 51, 5094–5098.
Abstract: BackgroundNon-melanoma skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and one of the main approaches is brachytherapy. For small lesions, the treatment of this cancer with brachytherapy can be done with two commercial applicators, one of these is the Large Field Valencia Applicators (LFVA).PurposeThe aim of this study is to test the capabilities of the LFVA to use clinically 60Co sources instead of the 192Ir ones. This study was designed for the same dwell positions and weights for both sources.MethodsThe Penelope Monte Carlo code was used to evaluate dose distribution in a water phantom when a 60Co source is considered. The LFVA design and the optimized dwell weights reported for the case of 192Ir are maintained with the only exception of the dwell weight of the central position, that was increased. 2D dose distributions, field flatness, symmetry and the leakage dose distribution around the applicator were calculated.ResultsWhen comparing the dose distributions of both sources, field flatness and symmetry remain unchanged. The only evident difference is an increase of the penumbra regions for all depths when using the 60Co source. Regarding leakage, the maximum dose within the air volume surrounding the applicator is in the order of 20% of the prescription dose for the 60Co source, but it decreases to less than 5% at about 1 cm distance.ConclusionsFlatness and symmetry remains unaltered as compared with 192Ir sources, while an increase in leakage has been observed. This proves the feasibility of using the LFVA in a larger range of clinical applications.
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Pinto-Gomez, F., De Soto, F., Ferreira, M. N., Papavassiliou, J., & Rodriguez-Quintero, J. (2023). Lattice three-gluon vertex in extended kinematics: Planar degeneracy. Phys. Lett. B, 838, 137737–8pp.
Abstract: We present novel results for the three-gluon vertex, obtained from an extensive quenched lattice simulation in the Landau gauge. The simulation evaluates the transversely projected vertex, spanned on a special tensorial basis, whose form factors are naturally parametrized in terms of individually Bosesymmetric variables. Quite interestingly, when evaluated in these kinematics, the corresponding form factors depend almost exclusively on a single kinematic variable, formed by the sum of the squares of the three incoming four-momenta, q, r, and p. Thus, all configurations lying on a given plane in the coordinate system (q2, r2, p2) share, to a high degree of accuracy, the same form factors, a property that we denominate planar degeneracy. We have confirmed the validity of this property through an exhaustive study of the set of configurations satisfying the condition q2 = r2, within the range [0, 5 GeV]. This drastic simplification allows for a remarkably compact description of the main bulk of the data, which is particularly suitable for future numerical applications. A semi-perturbative analysis reproduces the lattice findings rather accurately, once the inclusion of a gluon mass has cured all spurious divergences.
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Pino, F., Roe, N., Orero, A., Falcon, C., Rojas, S., Benlloch, J. M., et al. (2011). Development of a variable-radius pinhole SPECT system with a portable gamma camera. Rev. Esp. Med. Nucl., 30(5), 286–291.
Abstract: Objective: To develop a small-animal SPECT system using a low cost commercial portable gamma camera equipped with a pinhole collimator, a continuous scintillation crystal and a position-sensitive photomultiplier tube. Material and methods: The gamma camera was attached to a variable radius system, which enabled us to optimize sensitivity and resolution by adjusting the radius of rotation to the size of the object. To investigate the capability of the SPECT system for small animal imaging, the dependence of resolution and calibration parameters on radius was assessed and acquisitions of small phantoms and mice were carried out. Results: Resolution values, ranging from 1.0 mm for a radius of 21.4 mm and 1.4 mm for a radius of 37.2 mm were obtained, thereby justifying the interest of a variable radius SPECT system. Conclusions: The image quality of phantoms and animals were satisfactory, thus confirming the usefulness of the system for small animal SPECT imaging.
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