Speaker
Description
We investigate the effects of Lorentz invariance violation on photon interactions, focusing on two key processes: the propagation in the intergalactic medium via the Breit-Wheeler process and the photon interactions in Earth's atmosphere through the Bethe-Heitler process. In the context of astroparticle propagation, we show how Lorentz violation alters the cross-section, threshold energy, and consequently, the mean free path of particles. Next, we shift our focus to atmospheric interactions, analyzing the impact of Lorentz violation on photon-initiated Extensive Air Showers and showing that it can modify the cross-section of the initial interaction. Our results point out that even slight deviations from Lorentz invariance can lead to sizeable changes in both astroparticle propagation and photon dynamics. These findings are crucial for understanding high-energy astrophysical phenomena and open up new possibilities for experimental tests of quantum gravity theories through ultra-high-energy photons.
