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Title: Possible reason for the numerical value of the fine-structure constant

Abstract

A simple picture of the electron emerges if there is a cross section of πλ2 for vacuum virtual photons to stimulate an isolated electron to emit an additional virtual photon. This reaction mechanism leads to the storage of the rest-mass energy in the surrounding cloud of virtual photons. The Lamb shift can be obtained if one out of every 1/α of the stimulated emissions is preceded by the absorption and re-emission of the incident vacuum virtual photon including the corresponding electron recoil. This suggests a “doorway” cross section of απλ2 plays a key role in some QED processes. Additional support for this suggestion is obtained via a simple semi-classical picture of Compton scattering. Several speculative semi-classical reaction mechanism choices, including near-field effects, give the anomalous magnetic moment of the free electron. These choices are partially justified by their ability to give the magnetic moment of electrons in hydrogen-like atoms as a function of the atomic number of the corresponding nucleus, close to the correct result. The stimulated-emission process used to obtain the rest-mass energy allows for the possibility that stimulated virtual photons can be exchanged between an electron pair. This exchange can be used to estimate a repulsive force betweenmore » electrons, and thus allows for a calculation of the fine-structure constant. A result near to the experimental value is obtained with minor modifications to the assumptions that give the rest mass, Lamb shift, and anomalous magnetic moment of the electron. Additional studies are required to confirm or negate the suggestions made here.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1423965
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-18-21550
DOE Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; 74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS; Fine-structure constant

Citation Formats

Lestone, John Paul. Possible reason for the numerical value of the fine-structure constant. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.2172/1423965.
Lestone, John Paul. Possible reason for the numerical value of the fine-structure constant. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1423965
Lestone, John Paul. 2018. "Possible reason for the numerical value of the fine-structure constant". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1423965. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1423965.
@article{osti_1423965,
title = {Possible reason for the numerical value of the fine-structure constant},
author = {Lestone, John Paul},
abstractNote = {A simple picture of the electron emerges if there is a cross section of πλ2 for vacuum virtual photons to stimulate an isolated electron to emit an additional virtual photon. This reaction mechanism leads to the storage of the rest-mass energy in the surrounding cloud of virtual photons. The Lamb shift can be obtained if one out of every 1/α of the stimulated emissions is preceded by the absorption and re-emission of the incident vacuum virtual photon including the corresponding electron recoil. This suggests a “doorway” cross section of απλ2 plays a key role in some QED processes. Additional support for this suggestion is obtained via a simple semi-classical picture of Compton scattering. Several speculative semi-classical reaction mechanism choices, including near-field effects, give the anomalous magnetic moment of the free electron. These choices are partially justified by their ability to give the magnetic moment of electrons in hydrogen-like atoms as a function of the atomic number of the corresponding nucleus, close to the correct result. The stimulated-emission process used to obtain the rest-mass energy allows for the possibility that stimulated virtual photons can be exchanged between an electron pair. This exchange can be used to estimate a repulsive force between electrons, and thus allows for a calculation of the fine-structure constant. A result near to the experimental value is obtained with minor modifications to the assumptions that give the rest mass, Lamb shift, and anomalous magnetic moment of the electron. Additional studies are required to confirm or negate the suggestions made here.},
doi = {10.2172/1423965},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1423965}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 27 00:00:00 EST 2018},
month = {Tue Feb 27 00:00:00 EST 2018}
}