Classical zero-point radiation and relativity: the problem of atomic collapse revisited

DOI10.1007/S10701-016-0008-9zbMATH Open1380.81488arXiv1511.02083OpenAlexW2200759018MaRDI QIDQ1689804FDOQ1689804

Authors: Timothy H. Boyer 

Publication date: 17 January 2018

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

Abstract: The physicists of the early 20th century were unaware of two aspects which are vital to understanding some aspects of modern physics within classical theory. The two aspects are: 1) the presence of classical electromagnetic zero-point radiation, and 2) the importance of special relativity. In classes in modern physics today, the problem of atomic collapse is still mentioned in the historical context of the early 20th century. However, the classical problem of atomic collapse is currently being treated in the presence of classical zero-point radiation where the problem has been transformed. The presence of classical zero-point radiation indeed keeps the electron from falling into the Coulomb potential center. However, the old collapse problem has been replaced by a new problem where the zero-point radiation may give too much energy to the electron so as to cause self-ionization. Special relativity may play a role in understanding this modern variation on the atomic collapse problem, just as relativity has proved crucial for a classical understanding of blackbody radiation.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1511.02083

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zbMATH Keywords

special relativityclassical zero-point radiationatomic collapse

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

History of mathematics in the 20th century (01A60) Two-body problems (70F05) Motion of charged particles (78A35) General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Atomic physics (81V45) History of quantum theory (81-03)

Cites Work

• Quantum mechanical ground state of hydrogen obtained from classical electrodynamics
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• Blackbody radiation and the scaling symmetry of relativistic classical electron theory with classical electromagnetic zero-point radiation
• Unfamiliar trajectories for a relativistic particle in a Kepler or Coulomb potential
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Cited In (1)

• Relativity and radiation balance for the classical hydrogen atom in classical electromagnetic zero-point radiation

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