The Stochastic Schwinger Effect
Abstract
We formulate a stochastic generalisation of the Schwinger effect, extending pair production to statistically fluctuating gauge-field backgrounds. Our approach captures realistic field configurations that are transient, inhomogeneous, and stochastic, as commonly encountered in cosmological and high-energy astrophysical settings. Using the effective action formalism, we compute the vacuum decay rate and number density of charged particles, obtaining closed-form analytical expressions for both scalar and fermionic cases. To isolate the essential physics, the analysis is performed in flat spacetime and at zero temperature, providing a controlled setting in which curvature and thermal effects can be neglected. As a proof of concept, we present representative phenomenological examples relevant to astrophysical plasmas and early-Universe-motivated scenarios.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2510.14468,
title = {The Stochastic Schwinger Effect},
author = {Lucas Vicente García-Consuegra and Azadeh Maleknejad},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2510.14468},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
Minor corrections; accepted in JHEP