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727 lines
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Taken from KeelyNet BBS (214) 324-3501
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June 27, 1992
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SCROLL1.ASC
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This file shared with KeelyNet courtesy of Guy Resh.
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(Sourced from Jan Noring)
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Article 328 of alt.sci.physics.new-theories:
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Path: merlin.hgc.edu!psinntp!rpi!usc!apple!netcomsv!mork!noring
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From: noring@netcom.com (Jon Noring)
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Newsgroups: alt.sci.physics.new-theories
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Subject: Dr. Puthoff: Speculations on Energy Production From the
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Vacuum (LONG)
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Summary: Paper originally published in Speculations in Science and
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Technology Date: 24 Mar 92 18:57:38 GMT
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Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services
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(408 241-9760 guest)
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Lines: 541
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Reproduced below, with the permission of the author, is a paper
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written by Dr. Harold E. Puthoff, a respected physicist in quantum
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electrodynamics (QED) and in the relatively new field of stochastic
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electrodynamics (SED). This paper originally appeared in
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Speculations in Science and Technology, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 247-
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257, 1990. The reader is encouraged to obtain a copy of the
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original paper since the figures could not be reproduced here in
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ASCII.
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This paper speculates, using current theories, that *net* energy
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MIGHT (and only might) be extractable from the vacuum of space.
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Such a possibility does not necessarily violate current
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thermodynamic laws since all we need to do is to redraw our
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thermodynamic boundaries to include the vacuum energy of the
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universe and its attributes. Dr. Puthoff is currently pursuing
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experimental studies to ascertain whether or not there is tappable
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"excess" energy in the vacuum (theoretical considerations cannot
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ascertain the answer to this although there are several possible
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reasons why it could exist). Since the publication of this paper,
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some preliminary experimental results by Dr. Puthoff and his
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associates using a "condensed charge technology device" indicate
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that the vacuum indeed has significant "excess" energy that is
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tappable; further work to make sure of their results (to avoid the
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problems that plagued the cold fusion controversy), and eventual
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publication will be done. A patent has already been granted on this
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device: Patent Number 5,018,180, "Energy Conversion Using High
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Charge Density..." As an interesting aside, in my conversation
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with Dr. Puthoff recently, he believed that anomalous heat
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generation observed in several "cold fusion" experiments was not
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Page 1
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fusion, rather it was vacuum energy extraction (either net energy
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extraction from vacuum energy "excess", or vacuum energy charging
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and later extraction similar to a battery). This could explain why
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any anomalous heat generation was not accompanied by a neutron and
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radiation signature indicating nuclear fusion. Thus, I'm cross-
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posting this to the fusion energy newsgroup for their comment.
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The reader is also referred to four other related papers by Dr.
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Puthoff which appeared in the literature (three appeared in Physical
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Review):
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"Ground State of Hydrogen as a Zero-Point-Fluctuation-Determined
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State", Physical Review D, vol. 35, no. 10, pp. 3266-3269, 15 May
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1987.
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"Gravity as a Zero-Point-Fluctuation Force", Physical Review A, vol.
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39, no. 5, pp. 2333-2342, 1 March 1989.
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"Source of Vacuum Electromagnetic Zero-Point Energy", Physical
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Review A, vol. 40, no. 9, pp. 4857-4862, 1 November 1989. See also
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his replies to comments in Physical Review A, vol. 44, no. 5, page
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3382 and 3385-3386, and an Erratum in Physical Review A, vol. 41,
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no. 5, page 2902.
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"Everything for Nothing", New Scientist, pp. 52-55, 28 July 1990.
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********************************************************************
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-Beginning of Paper-
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THE ENERGETIC VACUUM: IMPLICATIONS FOR ENERGY RESEARCH
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H.E. Puthoff
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Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin
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1301 Capital of Texas Highway S., Suite A-232
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Austin, TX 78746
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(512) 346-9947
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"The existence of an actual vacuum was a subject of debate among
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scientists from Aristotle into the twentieth century. Since light,
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magnetic fields and heat all travel through a vacuum, something must
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be there. Borrowing a word from Aristotle, scientists described
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various kinds of 'aethers' that exist in even the hardest vacuum and
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that pervade space. Maxwell's theory of electro-magnetism reduced
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these different types to just one, called the ether. Various
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experiments were developed to detect this ether, of which the most
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famous was the Michelson-Morley experiment, which failed to find it.
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Finally, in 1905, Einstein banished the ether by means of special
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relativity and allowed the true vacuum to exist.
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"But not for long. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle of 1927 led
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particle physicists to predict that particles would arise
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spontaneously from the vacuum, so long as they disappeared before
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violating the uncertainty principle. The quantum vacuum is a very
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active place, with all sorts of particles appearing and
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disappearing. Careful experiments have demonstrated that the
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quantum theorists are correct in this interpretation of the
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vacuum... Furthermore, starting in 1980 with the theory of the
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Page 2
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inflationary universe, particle physicists have told us that the
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entire universe was created as a 'false vacuum', a quantum vacuum
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that has more energy in its nothingness than it should. The decay
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of that particular vacuum to an ordinary quantum vacuum produced all
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the mass in the universe and started the Big Bang."
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From "The Timetables of Science", Simon and Schuster, 1988
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INTRODUCTION
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Modern physical theory, specifically quantum electrodynamics (QED),
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tells us that the vacuum can no longer be considered a void. This
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is due to the fact that, even in the absence of matter, the vacuum
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is neither truly particle nor field free, but is the seat of virtual
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particle-pair (e.g. electron-positron) creation and annihilation
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processes, as well as zero-point-fluctuation (ZPF) of such fields as
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the vacuum electromagnetic field, which will be the focus of our
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study here.
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Formally, the energy density associated with the vacuum
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electromagnetic ZPF background is considered to be infinite. With
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appropriate high-frequency cutoffs the ZPF energy density is still
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conservatively estimated to be on the order of nuclear energy
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densities or greater.[1] The enormity of the figures describing the
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vacuum electromagnetic zero-point energy raises the question as to
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whether these numbers should be taken seriously, whether they are
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due to some defect or misinterpretation of the theory, whether the
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ZPF fields ought to be considered as 'virtual' or 'real'.[2] There
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is, however, no question but that the ZPF fields lead to real,
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measurable physical consequences. One example is the very real
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Casimir force,[3-6] an experimentally-verified [7-9] ZPF-induced
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attractive quantum force between closely-spaced metal or dielectric
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plates. An elegant analysis by Milonni, et al., at Los Alamos
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National Laboratory shows that the Casimir force is due to radiation
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pressure from the background electromagnetic zero-point energy which
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has become unbalanced due to the presence of the plates, and which
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results in the plates being pushed together.[10] (We will discuss
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this effect in more detail later when we address the possibility of
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ZPF energy extraction.) Other effects which can be traced back to
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interactions involving the ZPF fields in a fundamental way include
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the Lamb shift (the slight perturbation of the emission lines seen
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from transitions between atomic states),[11-13] the van der Waals
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chemical binding forces,[14] the stabilization of atomic structure
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against radiative collapse, [15-16] quantum field mechanisms
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underlying the gravitational interaction,[17] and spontaneous
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emission.[18]
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ZERO-POINT ENERGY
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To understand just what the significance of zero-point energy is,
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let us begin with a simple harmonic oscillator as shown in Figure 1.
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According to classical theory, such a harmonic oscillator, once
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excited but with excitation removed, will come to rest (because of
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friction losses) as shown in Figure 1(a). In quantum theory,
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however, this is not the case. Instead, such an oscillator will
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always retain a finite amount of 'jiggle', as shown in Figure 1(b).
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The average energy (kinetic plus potential) associated with this
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residuum of motion, the so-called zero-point energy, is given by:
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<E>= hw/2, where 'h' is Planck's constant (h= 1.054e-34 joule/sec)
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Page 3
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and 'w' [really 'omega'] is the frequency of oscillation. The
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meaning of the adjective 'zero-point' is that such motion exists
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even at a temperature of absolute zero where no thermal agitation
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effects remain. Similarly, if a cavity electromagnetic mode is
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excited and then left to decay, as shown in Figure 2, the field
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energy dies away, again to a minimum value <E>= hw/2 (half a
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photon's worth), indicating that fields as well as mechanical
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systems are subject to zero-point fluctuations. It is the presence
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of such ZPF 'noise' that can never be gotten rid of, no matter how
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perfect the technology, that sets a lower limit on the detectability
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of electromagnetic signals.
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If we now consider the universe as a whole as constituting a giant
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cavity, then we approach a continuum of possible modes (frequencies,
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directions) of propagation of electromagnetic waves. Again, even in
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the absence of overt excitation, quantum theory has us assign an
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<E>= hw/2 to each mode. Multiplication of this energy by a density
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of modes factor [19] then yields an expression for the spectral
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energy density that characterizes the vacuum electromagnetic zero-
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point energy
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rho(w)dw = [w^2/pi^2*c^3]/[hw/2]dw
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= (hw^3)/(2*pi^2*c^3)dw joules/m^3 (eqn. 1)
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There are a number of properties of the zero-point energy
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distribution given in equation 1 that are worthy of note. First,
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the frequency behavior is seen to diverge as w^3. In the absence of
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a high-frequency cutoff this would imply an infinite energy density.
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(This is the source of such statements regarding a purely formal
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theory.) As discussed by Feynman and Hibbs, however, we have no
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evidence that QED remains valid at asymptotically high frequencies
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(vanishingly small wavelengths).[1] Therefore, we are justified in
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assuming a high-frequency cutoff, and arguments based on the
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requirements of general relativity place this cutoff near the Planck
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frequency (~10^-33 cm).[17] Even with this cutoff the mass-density
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equivalent of the vacuum ZPF fields is still on the order of 10^94
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g/cm^3. This caused Wheeler to remark that "elementary particles
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represent a percentage-wise almost completely negligible change in
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the locally violent conditions that characterize the vacuum...In
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other words, elementary particles do not form a really basic
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starting point for the description of nature. Instead, they
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represent a first-order correction to vacuum physics."[20] As high
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as this value is, one might think that the vacuum energy would be
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easy to observe. Although this is true in a certain sense (it is
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the source of quantum noise), by and large the homogeneity and
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isotropy (uniformity) of the ZPF distribution prevent naive
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observation, and only departures from uniformity yield overtly
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observable effects.
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Contributing to the lack of direct observability is a second feature
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of the ZPF spectrum; namely, its Lorentz invariance. Whereas
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motion through all other radiation fields, random or otherwise, can
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be detected by Doppler-shift phenomena, the ZPF spectrum with its
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cubic frequency dependence is unique in that detailed cancellation
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of Doppler shifts with velocity changes leaves the spectrum
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unchanged. (Indeed, one can derive the ZPF spectrum to within a
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scale factor by simply postulating a Lorentz-invariant random
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radiation field. [21,22]) Thus, although any particular component
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Page 4
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may Doppler shift as a result of motion, another component Doppler
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shifts to take its place. It is also the case, again unique to the
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ZPF cubic-frequency-dependent spectrum, that Doppler shifts due to
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other phenomena (e.g., cosmological expansion, gravitation) also do
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not alter the spectrum. [23] This stands in contrast to, for
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example, the 3 K blackbody (thermal) microwave background left over
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from the Big Bang which cools with cosmological expansion.
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Yet another feature of the ZPF spectrum, related to its Lorentz
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invariance and again unique in comparison with all other
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competitors, is the complete lack of a drag force on a charged
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particle passing through it. This is because such a drag forced
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(the so-called Einstein-Hopf drag [24]) is proportional to the
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factor [rho(w) - (w/3)*(d rho/dw)], and this vanishes identically
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for rho(w) ~= w^3.
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On the other hand, accelerated motion through the vacuum can in
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principle reveal the presence of the ZPF energy density directly.
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Unlike uniform motion in which delicate cancellations of Doppler
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shifts leave the motion undetected, in accelerated motion the
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Doppler-shift cancellations are no longer sustained. As a result,
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the Lorentz-invariant spectrum which holds in uniform motion is
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augmented by additional terms. One factor yields a thermal (Planck)
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spectrum of temperature T= h*a/2*pi*c*k, where 'a' is acceleration,
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'k' is Boltzmann's constant and 'T' is temperature. This is known
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as the Davies-Unruh effect. [25,26] Yet another factor which shows
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up in the ZPF spectrum of an accelerated observer is found, via the
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equivalence principle, to reveal a deep connection between zero-
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point energy and gravity along lines originally proposed by Sakharov
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[27] (that gravity could be understood as an induced effect brought
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about by changes in the quantum fluctuation energy of the vacuum due
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to the presence of matter [17]).
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Thus we see that, with its roots in relativity theory which banished
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the ether, QED has in some sense come full circle to provide us with
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a model of an energetic vacuum that once again constitutes a plenum
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rather than a void.
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SOURCE OF ZERO-POINT ENERGY
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The fact that the vacuum constitutes an energy reservoir leads
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naturally to the question as to where the zero-point energy comes
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from, specifically, the vacuum electromagnetic zero-point energy
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under discussion here. (This is an especially important issue if
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one considers the possibility of extracting such energy for use.)
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Nature provides us with but two alternatives: existence by fiat as
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part of the boundary conditions of the present universe (like, for
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example, the 3 K cosmic background radiation left over from the Big
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Bang), or generation by the (quantum fluctuation) motion of charged
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particles that constitute matter. This latter possibility was
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explored in a recent paper by the author, with positive results.[23]
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The argument goes as follows. Given charged particles in quantum
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zero-point motion throughout the universe, a 1/r^2 dependence of the
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radiation from such motion, and an average volume distribution of
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such particles in spherical shells about any given point that is
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proportional to the area of the shell (that is,proportional to r^2),
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one could reasonably expect to find at any given point a sum of
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contributions from the surrounding shells that yielded a high-
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Page 5
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density radiation field. (Recall a similar argument in astronomy
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associated with Olbers' paradox.) The high-density ZPF fields would
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appear to be just such a field.
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The details of the calculations examine the possibility that ZPF
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fields drive particle motion, and that the sum of particle motions
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throughout the universe in turn generates the ZPF fields, in the
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form of a self-regenerating cosmological feedback cycle not unlike a
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cat chasing its own tail. This self-consistent field approach,
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carried out assuming inflationary cosmology, is found to yield the
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correct frequency distribution and the correct order of magnitude to
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match the known ZPF distribution, thus supporting the hypothesis
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that the ZPF fields are dynamically generated.
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As it turns out, there is an additional bonus from the calculations.
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A derived expression relating the zero-point energy density to such
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factors as the mass density and size of the universe also yields a
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precise expression for an observed 'cosmological coincidence' often
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discussed in the context of Dirac's large-numbers hypothesis:
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namely, that the electromagnetic-to-gravitational force ratio
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between an electron and proton is equal to the ratio of the Hubble
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distance to the size of the classical electron. According to the
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relevant calculations such a cosmological coincidence is seen to be
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a consequence of the cosmologically-based ZPF-generation mechanism
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under consideration that serves to link cosmological and atomic
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parameters.
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The overall picture that emerges, then, is that the electromagnetic
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ZPF spectrum is generated by the motion of charged particles
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throughout the universe which are themselves undergoing ZPF-induced
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motion, in a kind of self-regenerating grand ground state of the
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universe. In contrast to other particle-field interactions, the ZPF
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interaction constitutes an underlying, stable 'bottom-rung' vacuum
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state that decays no further but reproduces itself on a dynamic-
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generation basis. In such terms it is possible to explicate on a
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rational basis the observed presence of vacuum zero-point energy.
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VACUUM ENERGY EXTRACTION?
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As we have seen, the vacuum constitutes an extremely energetic
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physical state. Nonetheless, it is a giant step to consider the
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possibility that vacuum energy can be 'mined' for practical use. To
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begin, without careful thought as to the role that the vacuum plays
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in particle-vacuum interactions, it would only be natural to assume
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that any attempt to extract energy from the vacuum might somehow
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violate energy conservation laws or thermodynamic constraints (as in
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misguided attempts to extract energy from a heat bath under
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equilibrium conditions). As we shall see, however, this is not
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quite the case.
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The premier example for considering the possibility of extracting
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energy from the vacuum has already appeared in the literature in a
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|
paper by R.L. Forward entitled "Extraction of Electrical Energy
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|
From the Vacuum..."[28]; it is the Casimir effect. Let us examine
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carefully this ZPF-driven phenomenon.
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With parallel, non-charged conducting plates set a distance D apart,
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only those (electromagnetic) modes which satisfy the plate boundary
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conditions (vanishing tangential electric field) are permitted to
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Page 6
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exist. In the interior space this constrains the modes to a
|
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|
discrete set of wavelengths for which an integer number of half-
|
||
|
wavelengths just spans the distance D (see Figure 3). In
|
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|
particular, no mode for which a half-wavelength is greater than D
|
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|
can fit; as a result, all longer-wavelength modes are excluded,
|
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|
since for these wavelengths the pair of plates constitutes a cavity
|
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|
below cutoff. The constraints for modes exterior to the plates, on
|
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|
the other hand, are much less restrictive due to the larger spaces
|
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|
involved. Therefore, the number of viable modes exterior is greater
|
||
|
than that interior. Since such modes, even in vacuum state, carry
|
||
|
energy and momentum, the radiation pressure inward overbalances that
|
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|
outward, and detailed calculation shows that the plates are pushed
|
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|
together with a force that varies as 1/D^4, viz,[10]
|
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|
|
||
|
F/A = -(pi^2/240)(h*c/D^4) newtons/m^2 (eqn. 2)
|
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|
|
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|
The associated attractive potential energy (Casimir energy) varies
|
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|
as 1/D^3,
|
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|
|
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|
U/A = -(pi^2/720)/(h*c/D^3) joules/m^2 (eqn. 3)
|
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|
|
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|
As is always the case, bodies in an attractive potential, free to
|
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|
move, will do so, and in this case the plates will move toward each
|
||
|
other. The conservation of energy dictates that in this process
|
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|
potential energy is converted to some other form, in this case the
|
||
|
kinetic energy of motion. When the plates finally collide, the
|
||
|
kinetic energy is then transformed into heat. (The overall process
|
||
|
is essentially identical to the conversion of gravitational
|
||
|
potential energy into heat by an object that falls to the ground.)
|
||
|
Since in this case the Casimir energy derives from the vacuum, the
|
||
|
process constitutes the conversion of vacuum energy into heat, and
|
||
|
is no more mysterious than in the analogous gravitational case.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In such fashion we see that the conversion of vacuum energy into
|
||
|
heat, rather than violating the conservation of energy, is in fact
|
||
|
required by it. And this conversion can be traced microjoule by
|
||
|
microjoule as modes (and their corresponding zero-point energies)
|
||
|
are eliminated by the shrinking separation of the plates. What
|
||
|
takes getting used to conceptually is that the vacuum state does not
|
||
|
have a fixed energy value, but changes with boundary conditions. In
|
||
|
this case vacuum-plus-plates-far-apart is a higher energy state than
|
||
|
vacuum-plus-plates-close-together, and the combined system will
|
||
|
decay from the higher-energy state to the lower, in the process
|
||
|
creating kinetic energy, then heat, to conserve overall energy.
|
||
|
Similar vacuum-decay processes have been discussed within the
|
||
|
context of so-called charged vacuum states.[29]
|
||
|
|
||
|
With regard to extracting zero-point energy for use, in Forward's
|
||
|
proposed embodiment the two plates in a Casimir experiment are
|
||
|
charged with the same-sign charge (e.g., electrons). At
|
||
|
sufficiently small spacings the Coulomb repulsion between the plates
|
||
|
(which goes in an inverse square law 1/D^2 or less, depending on
|
||
|
spacing and geometry) can always be overcome by the stronger 1/D^4
|
||
|
attractive Casimir force. The plates will therefore be drawn
|
||
|
together in a collapsing motion. This confines the charge
|
||
|
distribution to a smaller and smaller volume and results in an
|
||
|
increased electric field strength in the vicinity of the plates. In
|
||
|
such fashion the zero-point energy (Casimir energy) is transformed
|
||
|
into stored Coulomb energy, which can then be extracted by a variety
|
||
|
of means.
|
||
|
Page 7
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|
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|
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|
||
|
|
||
|
Although demonstrating in principle the extraction of energy from
|
||
|
the vacuum, Forward's embodiment is admittedly impractical for
|
||
|
significant, continuous energy generation, for a number of reasons.
|
||
|
First and foremost is the fact that the generator is a 'one-shot'
|
||
|
device. To recycle the generator one must put as much energy into
|
||
|
the device to return the plates to their original separated
|
||
|
positions as was obtained during the collapse phase, as would be
|
||
|
expected in any conservative potential. As a result, given the
|
||
|
losses in any real system, not even 'break-even' operation can be
|
||
|
achieved, let alone net energy gain.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Let us carry this one step further, however. If one could arrange
|
||
|
to have an inexhaustible supply of such devices, and if it took less
|
||
|
energy to make each device than was obtained from the Casimir-
|
||
|
collapse process, and if the devices were discarded after use rather
|
||
|
than recycled, then one could envision the conversion of vacuum
|
||
|
energy to use with a net positive yield. Although almost certainly
|
||
|
not achievable in terms of mechanical devices, a possible candidate
|
||
|
for exploitation along such lines would be the generation of a cold,
|
||
|
dense, non-neutral (charged) plasma in which charge condensation
|
||
|
takes place not on the basis of charged plates being drawn together,
|
||
|
but on the basis of a Casimir pinch effect. (Casimir pinch effects
|
||
|
have been explored in the literature, not with regard to energy
|
||
|
conversion, but in terms of semiclassical modelling of charge
|
||
|
confinement in elementary particles, hadron bag models, etc.[30])
|
||
|
|
||
|
Such an approach would constitute a 'Casimir-fusion' process, which
|
||
|
in its cycle of operation would mimic the nuclear-fusion process.
|
||
|
It would begin, like its nuclear counterpart, with an initial energy
|
||
|
input into a plasma to overcome a Coulomb barrier, followed by a
|
||
|
condensation of charged particles drawn together by a strong, short-
|
||
|
range attractive potential (in this case a Casimir rather than a
|
||
|
nuclear potential), and with an accompanying energy release. Should
|
||
|
the energy requirements for plasma formation, and electrical circuit
|
||
|
and heat losses be kept at a level below that required for break-
|
||
|
even operation, then net, useful energy could in principle be
|
||
|
generated, as in the nuclear case. Such a proposal is, of course,
|
||
|
highly speculative at this point, and further detailed analysis of
|
||
|
the energetics involved may yet uncover some hidden flaw in the
|
||
|
concept. Nonetheless, known to this author are programs in the
|
||
|
United States, the Soviet Union and other countries to explore just
|
||
|
such an approach on an experimental basis.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The above provides just one example of the type of concept that can
|
||
|
be explored with regard to possible vacuum energy extraction. Other
|
||
|
proposals for extracting vacuum energy have been made as well,[31]
|
||
|
covering the gamut from the clearly unworkable to the intriguing.
|
||
|
To this author's way of thinking, however, there is as yet neither
|
||
|
clear-cut evidence of experimental success nor an absolutely
|
||
|
unimpeachable theoretical construct. Nonetheless, it is only by
|
||
|
continued, careful consideration of such proposals that we can hope
|
||
|
to resolve the issue as to whether energy can be extracted from the
|
||
|
vacuum, as part of a generalized 'vacuum engineering' concept of the
|
||
|
type suggested by Nobel Laureate T.D. Lee.[32] As a caution along
|
||
|
the way, the prudent scientist, while generally keeping an open mind
|
||
|
as to the possibility of vacuum energy extraction, must of course
|
||
|
approach any particular device claim or theoretical proposal with
|
||
|
the utmost rigor with regard to verification and validation.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
Page 8
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
Can the energy crisis be solved by harnessing the energies of the
|
||
|
zero-point sea? In the final analysis, given our relative ignorance
|
||
|
at this point we must of necessity fall back on a quote given by
|
||
|
Podolny [33] when contemplating this same issue. "It would be just
|
||
|
as presumptuous to deny the feasibility of useful application as it
|
||
|
would be irresponsible to guarantee such application." Only the
|
||
|
future can reveal whether a program to extract energy from the
|
||
|
vacuum will meet with success.
|
||
|
|
||
|
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
|
||
|
|
||
|
I wish to express my appreciation to G.W. Church, Jr., for helpful
|
||
|
discussion in the exploration of the concepts developed here. I
|
||
|
also wish to thank K.R. Shoulders of Jupiter Technologies, Austin,
|
||
|
Texas, and William L. Stoner, III, of OmniTech International,
|
||
|
Springdale, Virginia, for continuing impetus and encouragement to
|
||
|
explore these issues.
|
||
|
|
||
|
REFERENCES
|
||
|
|
||
|
1. Feynman, R.P. and Hibbs, A.R. *Quantum Mechanics and Path
|
||
|
Integrals*, page 245, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1965. See also
|
||
|
Misner, C.W., Thorne, K.S. and Wheeler, J.A. *Gravitation*,
|
||
|
page 1202 ff. Freeman, San Francisco, 1973.
|
||
|
|
||
|
2. See, for example, the Closing Remarks section in Boyer, T.H.,
|
||
|
Phys. Rev. D, volume 29, p. 1089, 1984. It can be added that,
|
||
|
although the approach developed here involves treating the ZPF
|
||
|
fields as real, an alternative viewpoint can be taken in which
|
||
|
the results of field-particle interactions traditionally
|
||
|
attributed to ZPF are expressed instead in terms of the
|
||
|
radiation reaction of the particles involved, without explicit
|
||
|
reference to the ZPF. For this viewpoint, see Milonni, P.W.,
|
||
|
Phys. Rev. A, volume 25, p. 1315, 1982. Although it is
|
||
|
sometimes assumed that the radiation-reaction approach might
|
||
|
imply that the ZPF fields do not exist, detailed analysis (see
|
||
|
Milonni's paper) shows that even though the interpretation of
|
||
|
ZPF effects "can be given exclusively in terms of either
|
||
|
radiation reaction or the zero-point field, *both fields are in
|
||
|
fact necessary for the formal consistency of the theory*." The
|
||
|
interrelationship between these two approaches (ZPF, radiation
|
||
|
reaction) can be shown to be complementary on the basis of an
|
||
|
underlying fluctuation-dissipation theorem.
|
||
|
|
||
|
3. Casimir, H.B.G., Proc. K. Ned. Akad. Wet., volume 51, p. 793,
|
||
|
1948.
|
||
|
|
||
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4. Fierz, M. Helv. Phys. Acta., volume 33, p. 855, 1960.
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||
|
|
||
|
5. Marshall, T.W. Nuovo Cimento, volume 38, p. 206, 1965.
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||
|
|
||
|
6. Boyer, T.H. Ann. Phys., volume 56, p. 474, 1970.
|
||
|
|
||
|
7. Wittmann, F., Splittgerber, H. and Ebert, K. Z. Phys, volume
|
||
|
245, p. 354, 1971.
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||
|
|
||
|
8. Israelachvili, J.N. and Tabor, D. Proc. Roy Soc. London, Ser.
|
||
|
A, volume 331, p. 19, 1972.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
Page 9
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
9. Arnold, W., Hunklinger, S. and Dransfeld, K. Phys Rev. B,
|
||
|
volume 19, p. 6049, 1979; Phys. Rev. E, volume 21, p. 1713,
|
||
|
1980.
|
||
|
|
||
|
10. Milonni, P.W., Cook, R.J. and Goggin, M.E. Phys. Rev. A,
|
||
|
volume 38, p. 1621, 1988.
|
||
|
|
||
|
11. Lamb, W.E., Jr. and Retherford, R.C. Phys. Rev., volume 72, p.
|
||
|
241, 1947.
|
||
|
|
||
|
12. Bethe, H.A. Phys. Rev., volume 72, p. 339, 1947.
|
||
|
|
||
|
13. Welton, T.A. Phys. Rev., volume 74, p. 1157, 1948.
|
||
|
|
||
|
14. Boyer, T.H. Phys. Rev., volume 180, p. 19, 1969; Phys. Rev.
|
||
|
A, volume 7, p. 1832, 1973.
|
||
|
|
||
|
15. Puthoff, H.E. Phys. Rev. D, volume 35, p. 3266, 1987. See
|
||
|
also New Scientist, volume 115, p. 26, 9 July 1987.
|
||
|
|
||
|
16. Cetto, A.M. and Pena, L. de la. Found. Phys., volume 19, p.
|
||
|
419, 1989.
|
||
|
|
||
|
17. See Puthoff, H.E. Phys. Rev. A, volume 39, p. 2333, 1989 and
|
||
|
references therein.
|
||
|
|
||
|
18. Milonni, P.W. Physica Scripta, volume T 21, p. 102, 1988.
|
||
|
|
||
|
19. See, for example, Pantell, R.H. and Puthoff, H.E.
|
||
|
*Fundamentals of Quantum Electronics*, pp. 179 ff., Wiley, New
|
||
|
York, 1969.
|
||
|
|
||
|
20. Wheeler, J.A. *Geometrodynamics*, Academic Press, New York,
|
||
|
1962.
|
||
|
|
||
|
21. Marshall, T.W. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc., vol. 61, p. 537,
|
||
|
1965.
|
||
|
|
||
|
22. Boyer, T.H. Phys. Rev., vol. 182, p. 1374, 1969.
|
||
|
|
||
|
23. Puthoff, H.E. Phys. Rev. A, volume 40, p. 4857, 1989. Errata
|
||
|
in Phys. Rev. A, volume 44, p. 3385, 1991. See also New
|
||
|
Scientist, volume 124, p. 36, 2 December 1989.
|
||
|
|
||
|
24. Milonni, P.W. Am. J. Phys., volume 49, p. 177, 1981.
|
||
|
|
||
|
25. Davies, P.C.W. J. Phys. A, volume 8, p. 609, 1975.
|
||
|
|
||
|
26. Unruh, W.G. Phys. Rev. D, volume 14, p. 870, 1976. For a
|
||
|
semi-classical derivation, see also Boyer, T.H. Phys. Rev. D,
|
||
|
volume 21, p. 2137, 1980.
|
||
|
|
||
|
27. Sakharov, A.D. Dokl. Akad. Nauk. SSSR [Sov. Phys. - Dokl.,
|
||
|
volume 12, p. 1040], 1968. See also Misner, C.W., Thorne, K.S.
|
||
|
and Wheeler, J.A. Gravitation, pp. 426-428, Freeman, San
|
||
|
Francisco, 1973.
|
||
|
|
||
|
28. Forward, R.L. Phys. Rev. B, volume 30, p. 1700, 1984.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
Page 10
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
29. Rafelski, J., Fulcher, L.P. and Klein, A. Phys. Rep., volume
|
||
|
38, p. 227, 1978. See also "The Decay of the Vacuum",
|
||
|
Scientific American, volume 241, p. 150, 1979.
|
||
|
|
||
|
30. For the original concept see Casimir, H.B.G., Physica, volume
|
||
|
19, p. 846, 1956. Early follow-on efforts include Boyer, T.H.,
|
||
|
Phys. Rev, volume 174, p. 1764, 1968; Milton, K.A., Annals
|
||
|
Phys., volume 127, p. 49, 1980; DeRaad, L.L., Jr. and Milton,
|
||
|
K.A., Annals Phys., vol. 136, p. 229, 1981; Brevik, I., Annals
|
||
|
Phys., volume 138, p. 36, 1982; Brevik, I. and Kolbenstevdt,
|
||
|
H., Annals Phys., volume 143, p. 179, 1982.
|
||
|
|
||
|
31. Booth, L.I. Speculat. Sci. Tech., volume 10, p. 201, 1987.
|
||
|
|
||
|
32. Lee, T.D. *Particle Physics and Introduction to Field Theory*,
|
||
|
p. 826, Harwood Academic Publ., London, 1988.
|
||
|
|
||
|
33. Podolny, R. *Something Called Nothing*, Mir Publ., Moscow
|
||
|
1986.
|
||
|
-End of Paper-
|
||
|
|
||
|
******************************************
|
||
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
||
|
If you have comments or other information relating to such topics
|
||
|
as this paper covers, please upload to KeelyNet or send to the
|
||
|
Vangard Sciences address as listed on the first page.
|
||
|
Thank you for your consideration, interest and support.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Jerry W. Decker.........Ron Barker...........Chuck Henderson
|
||
|
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|
||
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|
||
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|
||
|
If we can be of service, you may contact
|
||
|
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|
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