The Classical, Quantum and Direct Action Theories in Electromagnetism

Michael Ibison is a Senior Research Physicist with the Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin. Previously he was a visiting scholar to the Princeton University's PEAR program. His current research focuses on relativity and extensions to classical electromagnetism. He has published numerous papers. Anthony Lasenby is Professor of Astrophysics and Cosmology with the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, UK, where his research and teaching is about the cosmic microwave background. He is an experienced book author.

Chapter 1: historical overview of the major issues confronting direct action Chapter 2: Review of the classical Maxwell theory Lagrangian formulation of Maxwell theory Gauge freedom Advanced and Retarded potentials Boundary conditions Green's functions Broken time symmetry The Lorentz-Dirac equation Self-action (briefly here). Coulomb Renormalization Chapter 3: Classical direct action EM Removing the field degrees of freedom Loss of Gauge freedom Boundary conditions Green's functions The Lagrangian of Schwarzschild, Tetrode and Fokker Self-action Chapter 4: Discussion comparing classical Maxwell theory and direct action theories Ockams principle favors direct action Cosmological constant problem goes away Mass-renormalization is ameliorated Problems to be solved: observation of retarded radiation self-action is present after all observation of ZPF-mediated effects Flag discussion to follow on each of these topics Chapter 5: Self-action (Coulomb) self action in Maxwell theory compared with direct action (the same) Retarded self action & the radiation reaction in Maxwell theory compared with direct action (different) Dirac interpretation of radiation reaction involving F-adv- F-ret Relevance to the boundary condition on the fields Initial promise (Schwarzschild, Tetrode and Fokker) of direct action to eliminate self action Subsequent realization that self-action is necessary (Feynman, Davies) Suggestions for adjustments in both theories to give finite self action (Ibison) Chapter 6: A direct action ZPF Recall QED ZPF regularly modeled by classical EM ZPF for analysis of Casimir effect Davies Unruh effect Casmir-Poulder van der Waals Lamb shift Need for direct action version of EM ZPF ZPF as self-consistent field of matter Dirac large number coincidences as consequences of a background field Chapter 7: Retarded radiation Intrinsic time asymmetry of Maxwell theory Role of relative temperature of vacuum and matter Cosmological decoupling of radiation and matter Illustration with hypothetical anti-Boltzmann universe How time asymmetry is inserted by hand in Maxwell theory: Green?s functions and boundary conditions on the potentials Ad hoc term in Lorentz-Dirac equation Problems peculiar to direct action in reconciling intrinsic time-symmetry with the observation of retarded radiation Time-symmetry constraint on the direct action theory Chapter 8: EM in curved spacetime Review of Maxwell theory in curved space time Minimal coupling Choice of gauge Specialization to conformal spacetimes Good choice of gauge Lorentz-Dirac equation in conformal spacetimes Direct-action in curved spacetime Specialization to conformal spacetimes Application to Friedman universe Role of expansion as Wheeler-Feynman absorber Chapter 9: Semi-classical theory Schrodinger & Dirac equation with classical coupling Jaynes versus Lamb Coulomb potentials in otherwise second quantized theories Grandy calculations for two Dirac electrons with classical coupling Connection between semi-classical theory and QM direct-action theory Chapter 10: Second quantization Define: Schrodinger & Dirac equation coupled to EM Second quantization in Coulomb gauge (Loudon) Gauge-invariant method (Itzykson & Zuber) Casimir effect calculation Lamb shift calculation Chapter 11: quantum theory with direct-action Define: Quantized matter, direct action EM Method of Davies, Hoyle Chapter 12: The evidence for photons First discount ZPF as not relevant Argument of Jaynes regarding degrees of freedom in a lattice Review cited evidence for photons Photons statistics Other experimental evidence Photons as quantization of effective degrees of freedom? Chapter 13: Discussion comparing QED, semi-classical, and quantum direct action theories Relative status of Self action Radiation Reaction Wheeler and Feynman boundary condition Cosmological expansion as the absorber Arrow of time Role of ZPF Possible Chapter 14: Direct action theories of gravity Review of literature