johnreed take 25 - Part-1 - Modified September 30, 2008

johnreed take 25
The Atom as a Compacted Electromagnetic Field Structure - Part 1
Modified September 30, 2008

Although I have previously posted my ideas on atomic structure,
explaining how I got here seemed to be a waste of time without first
providing a platform on which to base a wholesale modification of our
gravitational paradigm. I believe that my most recent gravitational
posts [1] are "sufficient", at least enough for now, where I can
develop the rational, preliminary arguments, that support an
electromagnetic, atomic field structure.

As a youth the primary problem I became interested in was conceptual.
In that regard I was a hold out long after everyone else had given up
on anything more than the least action quantum mechanical mathematics.
However, a conceptual clarity was argued and hoped for as late as
1926. During that year it was published in Nature that the quantum
view was not, "the last word on the subject, and that [physicists] may
yet be successful in expressing the quantum postulate in picturesque
form." However according to Dirac "...getting the interpretation
proved to be rather more difficult than just working out the
equations." (The quotes noted above are conveniently taken from the
recent 2007 book: "Uncertainty", by David Lindley.) So difficult in
fact, that we soon abandoned any idea that atomic structure could be
explained in a conceptually clear manner. Preceded by Planck,
Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg, Pauli, de Broglie, Schrodinger,
Sommerfeld, Kramers, Feynman, etc. etc. and etc., by the time I
arrived on the set, atomic structure was explained primarily in terms
of quantum mechanics, and for the most part, endorsed to some extent,
by the legendary and accomplished "illuminati" listed above.

I wanted to understand quantum mechanics in terms of atomic structure,
rather than to understand atomic structure in terms of quantum
mechanics. So I continued to search for the conceptual idea in part,
because I did not consider the mathematics as an adequate, crystal
ball substitute, for a comprehensive conceptual clarity, and in part,
because the theoretical physicist mathematician not only considered
the mathematics adequate, but the only true path to physical
knowledge. And to that end, she/he would allow any mathematically
consistent fantasy (not outlawed by the mathematics), an extensive
review. Throughout my search I sought an atomic structure that would
explain the experimental spectra data, the wave function, the
uncertainty principle, and remain consistent with quantum mechanics in
general. Additionally and more broadly I sought a reason for the fact
that the mathematics represents the universe so well [2]. I was never
under the illusion that my task was going to be easy. My goal was seen
by mainstream science as a frivolous and impossible to obtain end. I
often received admonitions like: "What? Do you think you can do better
than the brilliant pioneers that preceded you?" and my often silent
response: "I hope so. For the sake of humanity, and for the sake of
science, I hope so." Yet today, through hindsight, the apparent
insurmountable difficulty is now seen by me, to be largely a matter of
perspective.

oOo

If we investigate matter initially, merely as substance extended in,
and displacing space, we can reduce matter to a 3D object. A subject
partially entertained in solid geometry. What is the simplest, most
efficient, representation for a 3D object? The immediate answer is a
sphere (although a torus is just as efficient at enclosing volume) and
the sphere is in fact the default shape for our particles, in our
charged "particles in equilibrium", atomic structure paradigm. However
the default shape for our fundamental particle does not define an
efficient structural representation for a 3D object. Rather, it
defines the efficient object as a fundamental given. This in keeping
with Isaac Newton's laws on the conservation of momentum, and on
gravity as a fundamental, intrinsic property of matter, and the
indivisible atom of Democritus. Therein lies the problem. We build
divisible matter out of "so called" fundamental indivisible matter.
Consequently we think in terms of fundamental bricks. And like the
lady with her "turtles all the way down" offering, we have extended
our fundamental bricks "all the way down". What makes a fundamental
brick, fundamental? According to Newton the universe is composed of
intrinsically fundamental gravitational bricks within a field of
space. According to Democritus a fundamental brick is not further
divisible.

How do we know if a brick is not further divisible? We don't, but we
assume that if we can devise a functional mathematical scheme that is
esthetically pleasing, based on the classical "object-space" idea for
the charged particles in equilibrium that we have designated as
fundamental, the property of indivisibility will follow as a matter of
course. This idea for indivisible matter was fairly advanced in the
time of Democritus. It is totally primitive today. The best
conclusion we can obtain from an indivisible matter build, is that
matter is made out of matter. If the reader questions the
significance we attach to a particle's indivisibility, note that our
mathematical scheme for the Standard Model has described
electromagnetic charge in fractional units, to allow our contrived
material quarks the required fundamental property of indivisibility.
Where nature has not provided us even a suspicion for a fractional
charge*.

* Author's note: I have left the last sentence in place although I
have since learned of the fractional representation of the von
Klitzing measurement. Where not only does an [e/3] measurement occur
outside of its use in quarks, but apparently a progression of other
fractional values for charge has been measured as well. I believe
that this will apply in my proposed atomic structure. However, I must
research this area.**

** Author's note: Connecting the Hall effect, (where electrons are
thought to gather together in a wire (detected as increased voltage)
at right angles to and in the proximity of a magnetic field), to the
electromagnetic atomic structure that I propose, the standard unit of
charge [e] would be the quantized magnitude that the atom releases at
the collapse of the wave function. Where internal to the atom any
fraction of the wave function could retain a proportionality with
Planck's constant and lightspeed, etc.
oOo

We have been unable to conceptually justify our charged "particles in
equilibrium" paradigm from its inception, except vaguely in classical
"object-space" terms. What keeps the charged electron in orbit around
the oppositely charged proton? We have converted the atomic
electromagnetic quantities designated as frequency and wavelength (via
Planck's constant), to the classical object-space quantities
designated as mass and angular momentum, and essentially think that it
is the electron's energy of motion that keeps it in orbit. This,
where we cannot even isolate and identify an "object-space" orbiting
charged electron. We explain how it would manifest if we could.

The questions arise: Is matter fundamental? Or is electromagnetism
fundamental? Are frequency and wavelength the properties that allow
the atom's absorption and emission of energy packets? Can we build, as
well as generate, electromagnetic fields, with our indivisible
bricks? Or can we build our generating bricks from compacted
electromagnetic fields? If we can build our bricks from compacted
electromagnetic fields the property of brick indivisibility vaporizes.
And the notion for a fundamental brick takes its elementary place in
the teachings of Zen Buddhism, while we seek to build an atom from
compacted electromagnetic field structures, in terms of the
controlling properties of frequency and wavelength, aided by charge,
and Planck's constant, where mass is a consequence, rather than a
cause. Emergent [3], rather than controlling.

oOo

Using iron filings we observe the magnetic field structure that
emanates from a bar magnet. If we theoretically reduce our bar magnet
to a single atom and if we retain the magnetic field structure (we
probably could not use iron filings to determine this), it is
reasonable to suspect that the observed field structure reflects an
optimally stable and efficient state of atomic structure, where atomic
structure in general, conforms to the structural principle observed in
the dipole field itself, whether the atomic structure is optimally
efficient or not. This idea is based on the well worn notion of form
follows function and on the idea that an efficient internal atomic
field configuration will generate an external magnetic field. A 3D
representation of this dipole field will serve the reader, for the
purpose of this post, as a general visual example of the
electromagnetic orientation for atomic structure, that I propose. Note
that in this model electric current must pass through the center of
the atom.
oOo

Consider that an enclosed area is a bordered extension of 2D space and/
or, a displacement of 2D space limited by a boundary (although on the
face, displacing 2D space with 2D space is much like displacing
nothing with nothing, a boundary can be extended by adding internal
space). A circle is the simplest, and most efficient boundary for an
enclosed area. We can combine the 2D circle with another 2D circle,
arranging them orthogonally with each circumference passing through
the center of the other circle. With this construct we can displace 3D
space. If we allow for some as yet, undefined force here, we can view
the orthogonally chained circles as a least action representation for
a locked physical join. If we wish to build an efficient 3D object in
terms of a structured substance extension, or space displacement and
force, this is one place to start. An efficient Occam's Razor
structural representation for a 3D object. Two geometric 2D circles
joined solely to provide an initial efficient buildable symmetric
base.

Visualize the two orthogonal, center joined circles in any kind of
regular, mutually restricted motion for each circular element. For
example, we can set each circle circumference in a circular spinning
motion, allowing that circumference to pass through the center of the
other circle, or we can set each circle plane to travel orthogonally
along the circumference of the other circle, or any combination of the
two. With respect to the time-space properties between points on the
joined circles the two motions are symmetrically equivalent, provided
the motions are constant. Additionally, any instantaneous condition
between any point on one circle to any point on the other circle can
be set equivalent provided a conservation law is generated. Which I
offer here momentarily as an aside. However, note that T^2/r^3 at this
level, suggests that such a conservation law exists. Additionally,
E=mc^2, frequency, wavelength, 2pir, pir^2, Planck's constant as a
conversion factor for frequency to energy, the collapse of the wave
function, and more, can all be "massaged" into, and/or, out of, this
simple, initial structure. A rather nice elementary example of a
correspondence between the mathematics here, and the stable system
least action universe motion in general.

An ordered regular boundary requires a cause. We may call this
construct a representation for a primordial state of matter, a
particle, where the property of extension in space requires some
containing structural principle. The single principle that threads
through all our stable system models is the principle of least
action. Therefore that is the principle I initially bring to the
table. Searching for some semblance of a grounding physical meaning
here, given the join and each circle we can break the two circles down
into two original straight lines. This is where the simple construct
and the single principle get complex. Call them fundamental
(indivisible?) electromagnetic (energy?) threads, that manifest
independently in the absence (or attenuation) of a controlling
electromagnetic field (or in the absence or the attenuation of any
other background or controlling condition). Say each thread is a like
monopole, or unlike monopole, or a dipole (I have a preference here
but they each function in a subsequent build). When each thread joins
as two interlocked circles how do the two circles manifest
electromagnetically? Starting as dipoles, as joined circles they are
identical and may electromagnetically repel and/or attract each other,
depending on orientation. Perhaps as though they are like monopoles,
even as they share a locked physical join. The rigid orthogonal
configuration, each through the other's center, could be maintained by
mutual maximum repulsion of like monopoles.

Or, following the join, do we have one circle contract while the other
expands? This option is of prime interest to me at present. Where one
circle represents what becomes electric current and the other circle
represents what becomes its generated or binding magnetic field.
Developing this construct as a build from rings (circles), the
contracted ring(s) serving in place of the measured mass of the so
called neutron(s) surrounding the dense section (think of the Hall
effect) of the expanded (rarified) rings that serve as the measured
mass of the proton(s) (or vice versa). The expanded, rarified,
ring(s) separating uniformly around the now nuclear binding rings as
wave orbitals, filling shells. The expanded ring(s) in the outermost
shell(s) can easily collapse to emit a single electron (think of the
Josephson and von Klitzing measurements), and can easily break apart
and straighten out, on the application of electric current through the
atomic center. As temperature is decreased approaching absolute zero
the inner shell orbitals may spontaneously break apart to join the
electric current to explain superconduction.

As temperature decreases or compression increases (events that are
"generally always" opposite in our present "object-space" view for
atomic structure) the innermost shell orbitals may also break apart
and straighten out, to join the electric, current carrying inner shell
orbitals of adjacent atoms, and ultimately, as a change of state,
spontaneously (as a consequence solely of the temperature drop or
severe compression) become super conducting electric current through
many atoms, forming a composite current loop to complete a circuit,
where the formerly individual atomic contracted binding rings, are
repulsed and gathered together on the composite current loop, allowing
the composite current loop to break apart and arrange symmetrically as
orbitals around the repulsed, but gathered from many atom's composite
binding rings, to build, in the experimentally contained, temperature
lowering case, the Einstein-Bose condensate (see johnreed take 6, 15,
and addendum to same). Its almost slight of hand isn't it? Elegant I
think is the word (see the post "johnreed take 23 - Dark Matter" for
the proposed increased compression case).

Can we massage the construct to represent the behavior of dipoles and/
or, like monopoles, elastically seeking maximum separation space
within the restricted parameters of the join? Or as unlike monopoles?
Or do we choose to build it directly out of what becomes electric
current and the generated or binding magnetic field. In any case, the
model initially provides us a simple mathematical construct and a
simple but promising guiding principle, on which to build an atom in
terms of the properties of compacted electromagnetic field structures.

oOo

With this construct as is, allowing for the contracted and expanding
rings (circles) and starting with hydrogen, we can directly and
immediately mirror the periodic table qualitatively (recall that in
most mathematical models we use stick figures rather than fully
musculatured and innervated representations) and with the assistance
of Planck's constant quantitatively match (a better word can be used
here) the "electromagnetic" representation to the "classical" object-
space representation, which is another nice example of least action
primacy. From this primordial particle construct, representing an
origin (a seeding) for an electromagnetic field (rather than two
joined quarks), we can mirror the periodic table and anchor quantum
mechanics to a descriptive and continuous picture, that accounts for
most, if not all of the experimental spectra results (there may be
some that I am not aware of).

My partial goal here is to provide a conceptual carrier for
oscillations, frequencies, wavelengths, uncertainty, wave functions,
their collapse, and quantum mechanics in general. My overall goal is
to build matter conceptually from electromagnetism. Once I have
completed that to my satisfaction and provided no one else has
relieved me of the burden, and if I am still alive, I will return to
do the easier mathematical part. It is important to get this
conceptual comprehension out, as I do not think that we can afford to
allow my mind alone to continue, since its taken all of my life to get
to here. The torch must be passed from where it lights the way.
End of Part - 1.
johnreed
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