We investigate the implications of the presence of Minkowski particles on the Rindler particle content in the accelerated frame as well as on the excitation and deexcitation of an accelerated particle detector. To obtain localized statements, the field quantization is based on wave packets. For bosonic particles, nonempty Minkowski modes imply an amplification of the number of Rindler particles in specific modes. The underlying processes reflect a nonlocal pair structure: specific pairs of modes with trajectories of the wave packet maxima passing different Rindler wedges are correlated. An elementary object of quantum optics in noninertial situations is the accelerated detector. The richer structure of the physics of its excitation and deexcitation is studied in detail. In addition to the generalizations of the inertially known excitation and deexcitation processes there are structurally new processes that are inertially forbidden. These processes reflect the nonlocal pair correlations.

• Received 13 January 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.49.4056