jheimann@BBNCCY.ARPA (06/14/85)
From: John H. Heimann <jheimann@BBNCCY.ARPA> All the discussion of limits to photon energy is predicated on the assumption that the limiting factor is gravity. Wouldn't very energetic photons tend to lose energy through pair-production long before they could swallow themselves gravitationally? John
JGA@MIT-MC.ARPA (06/14/85)
From: John G. Aspinall <JGA@MIT-MC.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 85 13:16:23 EDT
From: John H. Heimann <jheimann at BBNCCY.ARPA>
To: physics at sri-unix.ARPA
All the discussion of limits to photon energy is predicated on the
assumption that the limiting factor is gravity. Wouldn't very energetic
photons tend to lose energy through pair-production long before they could
swallow themselves gravitationally?
Most of the time, yes, but not under all circumstances. Pair production
requires a nearby mass for momentum conservation.