On the Gravitationally Induced Schwinger Mechanism

Abstract

In this paper we will present very recent results obtained in the ambit of quantum electrodynamics in curved spacetime. We utilize a newly developed non-perturbative heat kernel asymptotic expansion on homogeneous Abelian bundles over Riemannian manifolds in order to compute the one-loop effective action for scalar and spinor fields in curved spacetime under the influence of a strong covariantly constant electromagnetic field. In this framework we derived, in particular, the gravitational corrections, up to linear terms in Riemannian curvature, to Schwinger's result for the creation of particles in a strong electric field.

7 pages, LaTeX file. To appear in the proceedings of the Conference "QFEXT09: Quantum Field Theory Under the Influence of External Conditions", Norman OK, September 21 - September 25, 2009