On Puthoff’s Semiclassical Electron and Vacuum Energy

A possible connection between a point electron and vacuum energy was recently claimed by Puthoff (Int. J. Theor. Phys. 46, 3005 (2007)). He envisions a point electron as an ideally conducting spherical shell with a distributed charge on the surface, in equilibrium with the radiation pressure from electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations on the outside, and claims that his analysis demonstrates the reality of high-energy-density vacuum fluctuation fields. The present paper finds, instead, that the analysis is meaningless without specific knowledge on the cutoff frequency that is a free parameter in the model.     

Optically Forbidden Excitations of 3s Electron of Argon by Fast Electron Impact

The electron energy loss spectrum of argon in the energy region of 24.5—30.5 eV was measured at 2.5 ke V impact energy. The line profile parameters of the optically forbidden excitations of 3s^-1 ns (n = 4-6) and 3s^-1 nd (n = 3-7) of argon, i.e., Er,Г,q and μ were determined.     

Quasilinear Relaxation as a Mechanism for Electron Temperature Saturation in the Earth’s Plasmasphere

Russian Physics Journal - A mechanism is presented according to which quasi-linear relaxation can cause electron temperature saturation at the observed level when the plasmasphere is heated by...     

A ‘Mixed’ Type Electron Interference Theory

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Too many X’s, Y’s and Z’s?

Heavy meson spectroscopy above open flavor thresholds has become a challenge both from the experimental and theoretical points of view. Experimentally, several signals have been interpreted as meson resonances with unusual properties; theoretically, such signals may be identified with meson-meson molecules or compact multiquark structures. We analyze the influence of thresholds on heavy meson spectroscopy comparing different flavor sectors and quantum numbers. The validity of a quark-model picture above open-flavor thresholds would severely restrict the number of channels that may lodge multiquark structures as meson-meson molecules.     

Charge Conservation,Klein’s Paradox and the Concept of Paulions in the Dirac Electron Theory

An algebraic block-diagonalization of the Dirac Hamiltonian in a time-independent external field reveals a charge-index conservation law which forbids the physical phenomena of the Klein paradox type and guarantees a single-particle nature of the Dirac equation in strong external fields. Simultaneously, the method defines simpler quantum-mechanical objects—paulions and antipaulions, whose 2-component wave functions determine the Dirac electron states through exact operator relations. Based on algebraic symmetry, the presented theory leads to a new understanding of the Dirac equation physics, including new insight into the Dirac measurements and a consistent scheme of relativistic quantum mechanics of electron in the paulion representation. Along with analysis of the mathematical anatomy of the Klein paradox falsity, a complete set of paradox-free eigenfunctions for the Klein problem is obtained and investigated via stationary solutions of the Pauli-like equations with respective paulion Hamiltonians. It is shown that the physically correct Dirac states in the Klein zone are characterized by the total particle reflection from the potential step and satisfy the fundamental charge-index conservation law.     

Hastings’s Additivity Counterexample via Dvoretzky’s Theorem

The goal of this note is to show that Hastings’s counterexample to the additivity of minimal output von Neumann entropy can be readily deduced from a sharp version of Dvoretzky’s theorem.     

Minkowski’s tensor or Abraham’s tensor?

It is proved that the question in the article title has an unambiguous answer, i.e., Abraham’s tensor.     

Stern-Gerlach Experiment’s Interpretations and Noether’s Theorem

In this paper we suggest that theories treating two interacting objects in a different manner (for instance electromagnetic field of a laser classically, and the interacting atom as a quantum object) should be called “mixed”. Mixed theories are not so rare in Physics. One just should look at the whole area of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics in which mixed theories are often used, and, also, theories including quantum object interacting with classical surroundings that are the subject of our present discussion: the field of Quantum decoherence, when applied to resolving the dilemma should classical trajectories be used in explaining the Stern-Gerlach experiment or not. Consequently we are proving one improved corollary to Noether’s theorem, stating that mixed theories are not supporting the law of conservation of angular momentum and spin, as they are not based on the isotropy of space-time.     

Exorcising Maxwell’s Demon from Liboff’s Three-Channel Conundrum

We study a model proposed by Liboff (Found. Phys. Lett. 10:89, 1997) to violate the second law of thermodynamics. Discs are moving without friction in three connected channels inclined by π/3 with respect to each other. Based on the geometry considerations, it was argued that eventually all the discs end up in the middle channel regardless of their initial positions. This would mean a decrease of the entropy of the system and violation of the second law. We argue that no such anomalous behavior occurs in the system.     

Rovelli’s World

Carlo Rovelli’s inspiring “Relational Quantum Mechanics” serves several aims at once: it provides a new vision of what the world of quantum mechanics is like, and it offers a program to derive the theory’s formalism from a set of simple postulates pertaining to information processing. I propose here to concentrate entirely on the former, to explore the world of quantum mechanics as Rovelli depicts it. It is a fascinating world in part because of Rovelli’s reliance on the information-theory approach to the foundations of quantum mechanics, and in part because its presentation involves taking sides on a fundamental divide within philosophy itself.     

Buridan’s Principle

Buridan’s principle asserts that a discrete decision based upon input having a continuous range of values cannot be made within a bounded length of time. It appears to be a fundamental law of nature. Engineers aware of it can design devices so they have an infinitessimal probability of not making a decision quickly enough. Ignorance of the principle could have serious consequences.     

Rainbow’s stars

In recent years, a growing interest in the equilibrium of compact astrophysical objects like white dwarf and neutron stars has been manifested. In particular, various modifications due to Planck-scale energy effects have been considered. In this paper we analyze the modification induced by gravity’s rainbow on the equilibrium configurations described by the Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff (TOV) equation. Our purpose is to explore the possibility that the rainbow Planck-scale deformation of space-time could support the existence of different compact stars.