Higher Harmonics in Non-Linear Vacuum from QED Effects Without Low Mass Intermediate Particles

Abstract

We show that in the presence of a slowly rotating strong transverse magnetic field there is an infinite spectrum of harmonic wave functions $A_n$ due to the first order QED correction (in $α^2$) given by the Euler-Heisenberg Lagrangian. The frequency shifts are integer multiples $\pm ω_0 n$ of the magnetic field angular frequency rotation $ω_0=2πν_m$ and the several modes $n$ are coupled to the nearest harmonics $n\pm 1$. This is a new effect due to QED vacuum fluctuations, not exploit before, that can explain, both qualitatively and quantatively, the recent experimental results of the PVLAS collaboration without the need of a low mass intermediate particle, hence dismiss the recent claim of the discovery of the axion. [Erratum: The PVLAS signal cannot be explained by this mechanism.]