Eliminating electron self-repulsion

DOI10.1007/S10701-023-00702-0MaRDI QIDQ6168872zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Charles T. Sebens

Publication date 9 August 2023

Published in Foundations of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/2206.09472

zbMATH Keywords

Dirac fieldquantum electrodynamicsself-interaction

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Electromagnetic interaction; quantum electrodynamics (81V10)

Abstract: Problems of self-interaction arise in both classical and quantum field theories. To understand how such problems are to be addressed in a quantum theory of the Dirac and electromagnetic fields (quantum electrodynamics), we can start by analyzing a classical theory of these fields. In such a classical field theory, the electron has a spread-out distribution of charge that avoids some of the problems of self-interaction facing point charge models. However, there remains the problem that the electron will experience self-repulsion. This self-repulsion cannot be eliminated within classical field theory without also losing Coulomb interactions between distinct particles. But, electron self-repulsion can be eliminated from quantum electrodynamics in the Coulomb gauge by fully normal-ordering the Coulomb term in the Hamiltonian. After normal-ordering, the Coulomb term contains pieces describing attraction and repulsion between distinct particles and also pieces describing particle creation and annihilation, but no pieces describing self-repulsion.

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Cited in

(2)

• On the emergence of the Coulomb forces in quantum electrodynamics
• How anomalous is the electron's magnetic moment?

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