We report the first results of a search for real photon-photon scattering using X rays. A novel system is developed to split and collide X-ray pulses by applying interferometric techniques. A total of 6.5 × 10 5 pulses (each containing about 10 11 photons) from an X-ray Free-Electron Laser are injected into the system. No scattered events are observed, and an upper limit of 1.7 × 10 −24 m 2 (95% C.L.) is obtained on the photon-photon elastic scattering cross section at 6.5 keV.

Abstract:A nonlinear interaction between photons is observed in a process that involves charge sources. To observe this process in a vacuum, there are a growing number of theoretical and experimental studies. This process may contain exotic contribution from new physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, and is probed by experiments using a high-power laser or a high-field magnet, and more recently using an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL). Here, we review the present status of our experiments testing various vacuum processes. We describe four experiments with a focus on those using an XFEL: (i) photon-photon scattering in the X-ray region, (ii) laser-induced birefringence and diffraction of X rays, (iii) vacuum birefringence induced by a high-field magnet, and (iv) a dedicated search for axion-like particles using the magnet and X rays.

We report a search for photon-photon elastic scattering in vacuum in the X-ray region at an energy in the center of mass system of ω cms = 6.5 keV for which the QED cross section is σ QED = 2.5 × 10 −47 m 2 . An X-ray beam provided by the SACLA X-ray Free Electron Laser is split and the two beamlets are made to collide at right angle, with a total integrated luminosity of (1.24 ± 0.08) × 10 28 m −2 . No signal X rays from the elastic scattering that satisfy the correlation between energy and scattering angle were detected. We obtain a 95% C.L. upper limit for the scattering cross section of 1.9 × 10 −27 m 2 at ω cms = 6.5 keV. The upper limit is the lowest upper limit obtained so far by keV experiments.

We attempted to obtain carbon sequestration maps of deciduous forests in Japan using detectable parameters from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) sensor and to determine how the spatial pattern of carbon sequestration differs within the same forest ecosystem type. For this investigation, we firstly parameterized the MODIS algorithm at one flux tower site, Takayama, for the years 2002-2003. The MODIS algorithm could link flux-based net ecosystem productivity (NEP) with simple functions controlled by a thermal infrared band and a vegetation index. Second, the performance of the MODIS algorithm was validated through comparisons with the flux-based NEP at another flux tower site, Hitsujigaoka. The MODIS-based NEP at Hitsujigaoka was also within an accuracy of a flux-based NEP with R 2 of 0.879 and root mean square error of 1.64 gC m À2 day À1 , regardless of canopy structure and age. The MODIS algorithm was noteworthy for its general applicability in different locations. Finally, we used the MODIS algorithm for the same forest ecosystem type in Japan for regional extrapolation of NEP. The MODIS-based NEP of deciduous forests in Japan showed great variance with 347 ± 288 gC m À2 year À1 in 2002, according to the stand structure and climatic condition of the year. Studies for quantification of ecosystem carbon balance need to consider variance, frequency and spatial distributions of NEP. Satellite remote sensing demonstrated the potential for the largescale mapping of NEP.

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