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Published August 2023 | public
Journal Article

Eliminating Electron Self-repulsion

Abstract

Problems of self-interaction arise in both classical and quantum field theories. To understand how such problems are to be addressed in a quantum theory of the Dirac and electromagnetic fields (quantum electrodynamics), we can start by analyzing a classical theory of these fields. In such a classical field theory, the electron has a spread-out distribution of charge that avoids some of the problems of self-interaction facing point charge models. However, there remains the problem that the electron will experience self-repulsion. This self-repulsion cannot be eliminated within classical field theory without also losing Coulomb interactions between distinct particles. But, electron self-repulsion can be eliminated from quantum electrodynamics in the Coulomb gauge by fully normal-ordering the Coulomb term in the Hamiltonian. After normal-ordering, the Coulomb term contains pieces describing attraction and repulsion between distinct particles and also pieces describing particle creation and annihilation, but no pieces describing self-repulsion.

Additional Information

© 2023 Springer Nature. Thank you to Jacob Barandes, Maaneli Derakhshani, Michael Miller, Logan McCarty, Simon Streib, and anonymous reviewers for helpful feedback and discussion.

Additional details

Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 20, 2023