Darwin-Lagrangian Analysis for the Interaction of a Point Charge and a Magnet: Considerations Related to the Controversy Regarding the Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher Phase Shifts

The classical electromagnetic interaction of a point charge and a magnet is discussed by first calculating the interaction of point charge with a simple model magnetic moment and then suggesting a multiparticle limit. The Darwin Lagrangian is used to analyze the electromagnetic behavior of the model magnetic moment (composed of two oppositely charged particles of different mass in an initially circular orbit) interacting with a passing point charge. The changing mangetic moment is found to put a force back on a passing charge; this force is of order 1/c^2 and depends upon the magnitude of the magnetic moment. It is suggested that in the limit of a multiparticle magnetic toroid, the electric fields of the passing charge are screened out of the body of the magnet while the magnetic fields penetrate into the magnet. This is consistent with our understanding of the penetration of electromagnetic velocity fields into ohmic conductors. Conservation laws are discussed. The work corresponds to a classical electromagnetic analysis of the interaction which is basic to understanding the controversy over the Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher phase shifts and represents a refutation of the suggestions of Aharonov, Pearle, and Vaidman.Comment: 33 page

Hydrodynamic reductions of the heavenly equation

We demonstrate that Pleba\'nski's first heavenly equation decouples in infinitely many ways into a triple of commuting (1+1)-dimensional systems of hydrodynamic type which satisfy the Egorov property. Solving these systems by the generalized hodograph method, one can construct exact solutions of the heavenly equation parametrized by arbitrary functions of a single variable. We discuss explicit examples of hydrodynamic reductions associated with the equations of one-dimensional nonlinear elasticity, linearly degenerate systems and the equations of associativity.Comment: 14 page

Derivation of the Blackbody Radiation Spectrum from a Natural Maximum-Entropy Principle Involving Casimir Energies and Zero-Point Radiation

By numerical calculation, the Planck spectrum with zero-point radiation is shown to satisfy a natural maximum-entropy principle whereas alternative choices of spectra do not. Specifically, if we consider a set of conducting-walled boxes, each with a partition placed at a different location in the box, so that across the collection of boxes the partitions are uniformly spaced across the volume, then the Planck spectrum correspond to that spectrum of random radiation (having constant energy kT per normal mode at low frequencies and zero-point energy (1/2)hw per normal mode at high frequencies) which gives maximum uniformity across the collection of boxes for the radiation energy per box. The analysis involves Casimir energies and zero-point radiation which do not usually appear in thermodynamic analyses. For simplicity, the analysis is presented for waves in one space dimension.Comment: 11 page

Some Heuristic Semiclassical Derivations of the Planck Length, the Hawking Effect and the Unruh Effect

The formulae for Planck length, Hawking temperature and Unruh-Davies temperature are derived by using only laws of classical physics together with the Heisenberg principle. Besides, it is shown how the Hawking relation can be deduced from the Unruh relation by means of the principle of equivalence; the deep link between Hawking effect and Unruh effect is in this way clarified.Comment: LaTex file, 6 pages, no figure

The Zero-Point Field and Inertia

A brief overview is presented of the basis of the electromagnetic zero-point field in quantum physics and its representation in stochastic electrodynamics. Two approaches have led to the proposal that the inertia of matter may be explained as an electromagnetic reaction force. The first is based on the modeling of quarks and electrons as Planck oscillators and the method of Einstein and Hopf to treat the interaction of the zero-point field with such oscillators. The second approach is based on analysis of the Poynting vector of the zero-point field in accelerated reference frames. It is possible to derive both Newton's equation of motion, F=ma, and its relativistic co-variant form from Maxwell's equations as applied to the zero-point field of the quantum vacuum. This appears to account, at least in part, for the inertia of matter.Comment: 8 pages, no fig

Generating anisotropic fluids from vacuum Ernst equations

Starting with any stationary axisymmetric vacuum metric, we build anisotropic fluids. With the help of the Ernst method, the basic equations are derived together with the expression for the energy-momentum tensor and with the equation of state compatible with the field equations. The method is presented by using different coordinate systems: the cylindrical coordinates $\rho, z$ and the oblate spheroidal ones. A class of interior solutions matching with stationary axisymmetric asymptotically flat vacuum solutions is found in oblate spheroidal coordinates. The solutions presented satisfy the three energy conditions.Comment: Version published on IJMPD, title changed by the revie

Homogeneous heterotic supergravity solutions with linear dilaton

I construct solutions to the heterotic supergravity BPS-equations on products of Minkowski space with a non-symmetric coset. All of the bosonic fields are homogeneous and non-vanishing, the dilaton being a linear function on the non-compact part of spacetime.Comment: 36 pages; v2 conclusion updated and references adde

MOCVD growth of Bi2Te3-Sb2Te3 layers : Effect of growth parameters on the electrical and thermoelectrical properties

The growth of (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 thin films by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) using trimethylbismuth, triethylantimony and diethyltellurium as bismuth, antimony and tellurium sources respectively is investigated on pyrex substrates. The electrical and thermoelectrical properties of this material are also measured over the growth temperature range 360-470°C. The studies are also made on the effect of VI/V ratio on these properties in the variation range 2-9. Polycrystalline structure is confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and it is observed that the intensity of the preferred orientation is higher at 450°C. The measurement of Seebeck coefficient shows that all samples have p-type conduction. The best value of this parameter is obtained for high growth temperature (240µV/K). The good result obtained for (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 thin films revealed the great potential of MOCVD method which is an industrial technique to produce good materials for device applications (sensors and thermopiles).The growth of (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 thin films by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) using trimethylbismuth, triethylantimony and diethyltellurium as bismuth, antimony and tellurium sources respectively is investigated on pyrex substrates. The electrical and thermoelectrical properties of this material are also measured over the growth temperature range 360-470°C. The studies are also made on the effect of VI/V ratio on these properties in the variation range 2-9. Polycrystalline structure is confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and it is observed that the intensity of the preferred orientation is higher at 450°C. The measurement of Seebeck coefficient shows that all samples have p-type conduction. The best value of this parameter is obtained for high growth temperature (240µV/K). The good result obtained for (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 thin films revealed the great potential of MOCVD method which is an industrial technique to produce good materials for device applications (sensors and thermopiles)