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The Quantum Dice: An Introduction to Stochastic Electrodynamics

Luis de la Peña, Ana Marı́a Cetto

Published Mar 14, 2014• 230 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Preface. Part I: Prelude. 1. Quantum mechanics and the real world. 2. Quantum mechanics as a stochastic theory. 3. Elements of electrodynamics. Part II: Theme. 4. The zeropoint radiation field. 5. The equilibrium radiation field. 6. Environmental effects through the zero-point field. 7. The harmonic oscillator. 8. Quantum properties of other simple systems. 9. Breakdown of detailed energy balance. Part III: Coda. 10. Linear stochastic electrodynamics. 11. Radiative corrections in linear SED. 12. The wave properties of matter. 13. Stochastic optics. 14. Outlook and some corollaries. Bibliography. Index.

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Preface. Part I: Prelude. 1. Quantum mechanics and the real world. 2. Quantum mechanics as a stochastic theory. 3. Elements of electrodynamics. Part II: Theme. 4. The zeropoint radiation field. 5. The equilibrium radiation field. 6. Environmental effects through the zero-point field. 7. The harmonic oscillator. 8. Quantum properties of other simple systems. 9. Breakdown of detailed energy balance. Part III: Coda. 10. Linear stochastic electrodynamics. 11. Radiative corrections in linear SED. 12. The wave properties of matter. 13. Stochastic optics. 14. Outlook and some corollaries. Bibliography. Index.
In this chapter, which covers part of the course given at ELAF, a straight-forward procedure is presented that leads from the basic postulates of stochastic electrodynamics to the usual formalism of quantum theory. The theory thus developed is called linear stochastic electrodynamics, to underline that one of its basic features is the (asymptotic) linear response of atomic systems to the background field. The chapter starts with a brief discussion of some open questions in quantum theory and of the possibility to find an answer to them by resorting to the zeropoint radiation field as the source of the quantum behavior of matter. The basic properties of this field are discussed, and a brief enumeration is made of some of the positive results and vital shortcomings of standard stochastic electrodynamics. After identifying the source of these shortcomings in the assumption that the background field is not altered by its interaction with matter, linear stochastic electrodynamics is developed and shown to lead, under certain approximations, to a consistent picture of both matter and field quantization. In the concluding part, it is shown that also the electron spin can be considered to be generated by the interaction of the particle with the zeropoint field; in particular, the two-valuedness of the spin projection is associated with the existence of just two independent states of polarization of the field.
I propose that quantum mechanics is a stochastic theory and quantum phenomena derive from the existence of real vacuum stochastic fields filling space. I revisit stochastic electrodynamics (SED), a theory that studies classical systems of electrically charged particles immersed in an electromagnetic (zeropoint) radiation field with spectral density proportional to the cube of the frequency, Planck's constant appearing as the parameter fixing the scale. Asides from briefly reviewing known results, I make a detailed comparison between SED and quantum mechanics. Both theories make the same predictions when the stochastic equations of motion are of first order in Planck constant, but not in general. I propose that SED provides a clue for a realistic interpretation of quantum theory.
During the last decades there has been a relatively extensive attempt to develop the theory of stochastic electrodynamics (SED) with a view to establishing it as the foundation for quantum mechanics. The theory had several important successes, but failed when applied to the study of particles subject to nonlinear forces. An analysis of the failure showed that its reasons are not to be ascribed to the principles of SED, but to the methods used to construct the theory, particularly the use of a Fokker-Planck approximation and perturbation theory. A new, non perturbative approach has been developed, called linear stochastic electrodynamics (LSED), of which a clean form is presented here. After introducing the fundamentals of SED, we discuss in detail the principles on which LSED is constructed. We pay attention to the fundamental issue of the mechanism that leads to the quantum behaviour of field and matter, and demonstrate that indeed LSED is a natural way to the quantum formalism by demanding its solutions to comply with a limited number of principles, each one with a clear physical meaning. As a further application of the principles of LSED we derive also the Planck distribution. In a final section we revisit some of the most tantalizing quandaries of quantum mechanics from the point of view offered by the present theory, and show that it offers a clear physical answer to them.
Preface.- Quantum Mechanics: questions.- The phenomenological stochastic approach: a short route to quantum mechanics.- The Planck distribution, a necessary consequence of the fluctuating zero-point field.- The long journey to the Schrodinger equation.- The road to Heisenberg quantum mechanics.- Beyond the Schrodinger equation.- Disentangling quantum entanglement.- Causality, locality and entanglement in quantum mechanics.- The zero-point field waves (and) matter.- Quantum mechanics: some answers.- References.- Suggested literature.- Index.
Preface / Forward / Acknowledgements / Introduction / Invitation to Stochastic Calculus / Hydrodynamical Formulation of Quantum Mechanics / Stochastic Diffusion Processes / Selected Problems in Stochastic Mechanics / Stochastic Variational Principles / Euclidean Quantum Mechanics / Stochastic Path Space Picture / Relativistic Stochastic Mechanics / Dirac Equation - Stochastic Viewpoint / Stochastic Field Theory / Stochastic Mechanics on Manifolds / Stochastic Route to Quantum Mechanics - Quest Continues / References / Author Index / Subject Index.
Preface * Part I. Introductory Concepts in Quantum Theory * Units of Measurement * Quantum Mechanics---Some Remarks and Themes * Equations of Motion in Classical Mechanics * Quantization and the Schrodinger Equation * Hypergeometric Equations and Special Functions * Hydrogen-like Atoms * Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle * Group Representations and Selection Rules * A Charged Particle in an Electro-magnetic Field * Spin Wave Functions * Introduction to Multi-electron Atoms * Part II. Some Selected Topics * Fresnel Integrals and Feynman Integrals * Path Integral for the Harmonic Oscillator * Euclidean Path Integrals * The Density Matrix and Partition Function * Zeta Regularization * Helmholtz Free Energy and the Selberg Trace Formula * The Zeta Function of a Product * Two Guest Lectures * Some Further Electron Configurations * Mendeleev Periodic Table * Another Example of Zeta Regularization * Integral Evaluation * Some Informal Comments on QFT * References * Index