Semiclassical gravitational effects near a singular magnetic flux

Abstract

We consider the backreaction of the vacuum polarization effect for a massive charged scalar field in the presence of a singular magnetic massless string on the background metric. Using semiclassical approach, we find the first-order (in $\hbar$ units) metric modifications and the corresponding gravitational potential and deficit angle. It is shown that, in certain region of values of coupling constant and magnetic flux, the gravitational potential and deficit angle can be positive as well as negative over all distances from the string and can even change its sign. Unlike the case of massless scalar field, the gravitational corrections were found to have short-range behavior.