Chronon
A chronon is a proposed quantum of time, that is, a discrete and indivisible "unit" of time as part of a hypothesis that proposes that time is not continuous. In simple language, a chronon is the smallest, discrete, non-decomposable unit of time in a temporal data model.
In a one-dimensional model, a chronon is a time interval or period, while in an n-dimensional model it is a non-decomposable region in
Early work
While time is a continuous quantity in both standard quantum mechanics and general relativity, many physicists have suggested that a discrete model of time might work, especially when considering the combination of quantum mechanics with general relativity to produce a theory of quantum gravity.
The term was introduced in this sense by Robert Lévi in 1927.
Work by Caldirola
A prominent model was introduced by Piero Caldirola in 1980. In Caldirola's model, one chronon corresponds to about 6.27×10−24 seconds for an
From this formula, it can be seen that the nature of the moving particle being considered must be specified, since the value of the chronon depends on the particle's charge and mass.
Caldirola claims that the chronon has important implications for quantum mechanics, in particular that it allows for a clear answer to the question of whether a free-falling charged particle does or does not emit radiation.[
See also
Notes
References
- Lévi, Robert (1927). "Théorie de l'action universelle et discontinue". Journal de Physique et le Radium. 8 (4): 182–198. S2CID 96677036.
- Margenau, Henry (1950). The Nature of Physical Reality. McGraw-Hill.
- Yang, C N (1947). "On quantized space-time". Physical Review. 72 (9): 874. .
- Caldirola, P. (1980). "The introduction of the chronon in the electron theory and a charged lepton mass formula". Lettere al Nuovo Cimento. 27 (8): 225–228. S2CID 122099991.
- Farias, Ruy A. H.; Recami, Erasmo (1997-06-27). "Introduction of a Quantum of Time ("chronon"), and its Consequences for Quantum Mechanics". arXiv:quant-ph/9706059.
- Albanese, Claudio; Lawi, Stephan (2004). "Time Quantization and q-deformations" (PDF). Journal of Physics A. 37 (8): 2983–2987. S2CID 18286926. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2015-10-10. Retrieved 2006-07-31.