Stochastic electrodynamics

Stochastic electrodynamics (SED) is extends

Brief history

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${\displaystyle i\hbar {\frac {d}{dt}}|\Psi \rangle ={\hat {H}}|\Psi \rangle }$ Schrödinger equation
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v t e

Stochastic electrodynamics is a term for a collection of research efforts of many different styles based on the

In 2010, Cavalleri et al. introduced SEDS ('pure' SED, as they call it, plus spin) as a fundamental improvement which they claim potentially overcomes all the known drawbacks to SED. They also claim SEDS resolves four observed effects that are so far unexplained by QED, i.e., 1) the physical origin of the ZPF, and its natural upper cutoff; 2) an anomaly in experimental studies of the

In 2013 Auñon et al. showed that Casimir and Van der Waals interactions are a particular case of stochastic forces from electromagnetic sources when the broad Planck's spectrum is chosen and the wavefields are non-correlated.[13] Addressing fluctuating partially coherent light emitters with a tailored spectral energy distribution in the optical range, this establishes the link between stochastic electrodynamics and coherence theory;^[14] henceforth putting forward a way to optically create and control both such zero-point fields as well as Lifshitz forces ^[15] of thermal fluctuations. In addition, this opens the path to build many more stochastic forces on employing narrow-band light sources for bodies with frequency-dependent responses.

Scope of SED

SED has been used in attempts to provide a classical explanation for effects previously considered to require quantum mechanics (here restricted to the Schrödinger equation and the Dirac equation and QED) for their explanation. It has also been used to motivate a classical ZPF-based underpinning for gravity and inertia. There is no universal agreement on the successes and failures of SED, either in its congruence with standard theories of quantum mechanics, QED, and gravity, or in its compliance with observation. The following SED-based explanations are relatively uncontroversial and are free of criticism at the time of writing:

• The Van der Waals force^[16]
• Diamagnetism^[17]
• The Unruh effect^[18]

The following SED-based calculations and SED-related claims are more controversial and some have been subject to published criticism:

• The ground state of the harmonic oscillator^[19]
• The ground state of the hydrogen atom^[20]
• De Broglie waves^[21]
• Inertia^[22][23]
• Gravitation^[24]

• Classical unified field theories – Theoretical attempts to unify the forces of nature
• Stochastic quantum mechanics – Interpretation of quantum mechanics
• Zero-point energy – Lowest possible energy of a quantum system or field

References