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A chronon is a proposed quantum of time, that is, a discrete and indivisible "unit" of time as part of a theory that proposes that time is not continuous. While time is a continuous quantity in standard quantum mechanics, many physicists have suggested that a discrete model of time might work, especially when considering the combination of quantum mechanics with general relativity to produce a theory of quantum gravity.
One such model was introduced by P. Caldirola in 1980.[1] In Caldirola's model, one chronon corresponds to about 2×10−23 seconds. He claims the chronon has important implications for quantum mechanics, in particular that it allows for a clear answer to the question of whether a free falling charged particle does or does not emit radiation. This model supposedly avoids the difficulties met by Abraham-Lorentz's and Dirac's approaches to the problem, and provides a natural explication of quantum decoherence.
[edit] Derivation of the chronon concept
The need for a chronon comes about from the real physical limits to our universe, namely that nothing (not even space itself) can exist coherently smaller than the planck length. By imposing this limit on one half-wavelength of a beam of light and dividing by the speed of light one can obtain a maximum measurable frequency, and hence a minimum measurable period of time (1.078×10−43 seconds). This time scale is too small to be noticeable on the space-time scale of humans, so the universe appears very continuous even though it is happening in discrete segments of time.
This concept becomes important on scales much smaller than the nucleus of an atom, and on much larger scales when a lot of mass is concentrated in a small space, like in a gravastar or a black hole. The effects of chronons may also become apparent as rapidly approaching observers moving through space can have their incoming light blue shifted up to this limit.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Caldirola, P. (1980). "The introduction of the chronon in the electron theory and a charged lepton mass formula". Lett. Nuovo Cim. 27: 225–228. doi:10.1007/BF02750348.
