Decoherence in e.m. vacuum

Steen Møller Nielsen

This paper presents a physical theory of vacuum noise and decoherence within the framework of Relativistic Coherent Vacuum Gravity Theory (rCVGT). The work addresses the conceptual limitations of standard quantum field theory, where vacuum fluctuations are typically described in terms of operator uncertainties and decoherence is modeled through environmental entanglement without a direct physical description of vacuum dynamics. In rCVGT the vacuum is treated as a structured relativistic medium characterized by a coherence order parameter ψ(x), a coherence magnitude Q(x)=|ψ(x)|², a vacuum-flow four-field u^μ(x), and a physical time-rate field τ(x). Vacuum fluctuations are interpreted as dynamical perturbations of these fields around metastable equilibrium states. The theory provides a physical mechanism for vacuum noise and shows how decoherence can arise from irreversible amplification of coherence fluctuations through coupling to macroscopic systems. Within this framework, vacuum noise, decoherence, and the quantum-to-classical transition obtain a unified physical interpretation while preserving the empirical predictions of quantum mechanics. This work contributes to the ongoing development of rCVGT as a physically motivated extension of relativistic vacuum dynamics and provides a foundation for future theoretical and experimental investigations of vacuum structure and coherence phenomena.

Gheorghe Sorin Paraoanu

Anirudh Gundhi, Hendrik Ulbricht

The interaction of a particle with vacuum fluctuations-which theoretically exist even in the complete absence of matter-can lead to observable irreversible decoherence if it were possible to switch on and off the particle charge suddenly. We compute the leading order decoherence effect for such a scenario and propose an experimental setup for its detection. Such a measurement might provide further insights into the nature of vacuum fluctuations and a novel precision test for the decoherence theory.

Jincheng Zhang

This paper explores the concept of computational vacuum energy (CVE), proposing a framework for quantifying and modeling the energy associated with quantum fluctuations within a simulated environment. The core argument posits that the act of computation itself, regardless of the underlying physical implementation, introduces a residual energy component – CVE – arising from the inherent probabilistic nature of quantum systems and their manipulation. We introduce a mathematical model, expressed in terms of wave function collapse probabilities (WCP) and decoherence rates (DR), to estimate CVE. The model suggests that higher levels of computational complexity, characterized by increased WCP and DR, correlate with a greater potential for CVE generation. This research lays the groundwork for understanding potential energy implications of advanced computing architectures and offers a novel perspective on the relationship between information processing and energy dissipation. The key equation demonstrating this relationship is: ΔE = α * (WCP + DR), where ΔE represents the change in CVE, α is a proportionality constant dependent on the system parameters, WCP is the wave function collapse probability, and DR is the decoherence rate. Further investigation is needed to determine the precise values of α and to validate this model against experimental data.