Stochastic electrodynamics

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In theoretical physics, Stochastic electrodynamics (SED) refers to a more or less controversial theory which posits that the interaction of elementary particles with the vacuum radiation field, or zero point field, is ultimately responsible for various familiar quantum phenomena.

SED has been developed by a number of physicists; their contributions can generally be characterized as speculative proposals within mainstream physics.

Contents

[edit] Brief history

Stochastic Electrodynamics (SED) is a single rubric for a collection of research efforts of many different styles, united only by the fundamental Ansatz that there exists random electromagnetic radiation with a power spectrum equal to 1/2 h-bar times the frequency. This particular type of background is identical to what in the usual formulation of quantum mechanics (QM) is the quantized ground state of free electromagnetic radiation, a.k.a. the quantum 'vacuum.' Thus, it can be said that SED is the inverse of QM. The main goal of SED is to rationalize QM, i.e., to provide a problem-free interpretation by attibuting quantum effects to this electromagnetic background.

The basic ideas, in vague avantars, have been around for a long time; but Trevor Marshall and T. Brafford seem to have been the originators of the more concentrated effors starting in the 1960's. They found that the power spectrum of the "quantum vacuum" is, in a certain sense, Lorentz invariant, which gives it many nice properties enabling a classical modeling of some quantum phenomena. Thereafter Timothy Boyer and the couple Louis de la Pena and Anna Marie Cetto were perhaps the most prolific in the 1970's and beyond. But, others, not all extensive writers, have made contributions, alterations and proposals.

The whole effort is far too small and varigated to be categorized sociologically. It is best, perhaps, to approach the SED literature (quite extensive despite circumstances) without prejudice as a lode of potentially profound insights, thus far incompletely worked out, except for certain specific problems and examples.

Starting with the 1994 paper in the Physical Review "Inertia as a zero-point field reaction force," Bernard Haisch and Alfonso Rueda, sometimes joined by Harold E. Puthoff, have championed the notion that the inertia of a massive object may arise via an electromagnetic reaction force via interaction with the so-called zero point field. This builds upon a much earlier proposal by Walther Nernst, but is highly controversial. In their non-technical papers Haisch and Rueda speculated that someday control of inertia might be possible.

[edit] Nature of SED

The zero point field can be thought of, roughly speaking, as a superposition of electromagnetic waves with random phases and directions, with a power distribution proportional to the cube of frequency, i.e., 1/2 h-bar times frequency per normal mode. Since this spectrum diverges, that is implies that there is an infinite amount of energy at every point in space (as does conventional QM for different reasons), a cutoff frequency on the order of the reciprocal of the Planck time is often introduced in principle. Planck's constant then appears as a scale factor for quantum fluctuations in the zero point field.

The original motivation for SED is that it seeks to provide a local realist foundation for various mysterious effects of quantum field theory, including

  1. Casimir force
  2. van der Waals forces,
  3. diamagnetism
  4. cavity effects
  5. Unruh effect
  6. de Broglie waves see: A. F. Kracklauer, Found. Phys. Lett. 12 (2) 441-453 (1999).
  7. radiative corrections in the theory of the quantum harmonic oscillator

More controversially, Haisch and Rueda have tried to use SED to provide explanations for the phenomena of

  1. inertia
  2. gravitation

[edit] The work of Haisch and Rueda

According to Haisch and Rueda, inertia arises as an electromagnetic drag force on accelerating particles, produced by interaction with the zero-point field. In their 1998 Ann. Phys. paper (see citations), they speak of a "Rindler flux", presumably meaning the Unruh effect, and claim to have computed a nonzero "z.p.f. momentum". This computation rests upon their claim to compute a nonzero "z.p.f. Poynting vector", but according to Bill Unruh this computation is incorrect. In a post to sci.physics.research, mathematical physicist John Baez wrote (referring to an email from Unruh to Baez):

Unruh says that Haisch and Rueda's calculations are wrong, and that a correct calculation shows a uniformly accelerating observer zipping through the vacuum state of a quantized electromagnetic field on Minkowski spacetime sees a *perfectly thermalized* bath of photons. In particular, this means such an observer will see no "Rindler flux" - i.e., the expectation value of the Poynting vector is zero. Or in less fancy language: there will be, on average, no net flux of momentum in the photons seen by the accelerating observer. He gives a very simple argument showing that the expectation value of the Poynting vector *must* be zero: the whole situation is time-symmetric, and time reversal flips the direction of the Poynting vector! He also says that Haisch and Rueda don't do a straightforward calculation; rather, they use the "Boyer stochastic field technique, together with assumptions I have never been able to figure out." So, it seems pretty obvious that an accelerating observer in a quantized electromagnetic field will not see the "Rindler flux" predicted by Haisch and Rueda. Less obvious, but also reassuring to my intuition, is that the observer will simply see isotropic blackbody radiation!

—John Baez, sci.physics.research, Sep 14 2001

[edit] Credibility

Many of the contributors (on the order of ~50 people) to the literature on SED are certified scientists and/or engineers, but frequently not academics. This has allowed, in a few cases, rather more 'blue sky' speculation than is customary in university circles.

[edit] Internet culture

The proposals of Haisch and Rueda have been eagerly promoted at many websites by new energy fans, who hope that the notion of zero point energy might ultimately provide no cost "energy from the vacuum", thereby solving many current problems in contemporary human society. Others claim that the work of Haisch, Rueda, and Puthoff holds out hope of developing a reactionless drive which can be used to enable humans to visit far distant regions of the universe.

[edit] Fictional References

Arthur C. Clarke describes a "SHARP drive" (for Sakharov, Haisch, Rueda and Puthoff) in his 1997 novel "3001: The Final Odyssey.". This follows speculation in (non-technical) papers by Haisch and Rueda on the control of inertia using SED principles.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  • Marshall, T. W. (1963). "Random Electrodynamics". Proc. Roy. Soc. A 276: 475.
  • Sakharov, A. D. (1968). "Vacuum Quantum Fluctuations in Curved Space and the Theory of Gravitation". Sov. Phys. Doklady: 1040.
  • Boyer, Timothy H. (1975). "Random electrodynamics: The theory of classical electrodynamics with classical electromagnetic zero-point radiation". Phys. Rev.: 790-808.
  • Boyer, T. H. (1980). "A Brief Survey of Stochastic Electrodynamics". Foundations of Radiation Theory and Quantum Electrodynamics. ISBN 0-306-40277-7
  • Boyer, Timothy H. (1985). "The Classical Vacuum". Scientific American. online version from PADRAK, the website of Patrick Bailey, who publishes New Energy News in Salt Lake City, UT, and who promotes a cranky theory of "plasmoids", which he says "contradict theories about gravity and 'mass' "
  • Kracklauer, A. F. (1992). "An Intuitive Paradigm for Quantum Mechanics". Physics Essays 5(2): 226-234. e-version: [1]
  • Haisch, B.; Rueda, A.; and Puthoff, H. E. (1994). "Inertia as a zero-point-field Lorentz force". Phys. Rev. A: 678-694. on-line version from Haisch's website
  • Rueda, Alfonso; and Haisch, Bernard (1998). "Contribution to inertial mass by reaction of the vacuum to accelerated motion". Found. Phys.: 1057-1108. physics/9802030
  • Rueda, Alfonso, and Haisch, Bernard (2005). "Gravity and the Quantum Vacuum Inertia Hypothesis". Ann. Phys.: 479-498. gr-qc/0504061

See Stochastic electrodynamics/Bibliography for more research papers.


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