A simple solution to color confinement

We show that color confinement is a direct result of the nonabelian, i.e. nonlinear, nature of the color interaction in quantum chromodynamics. This makes it in general impossible to describe the color field as a collection of elementary quanta (gluons). A quark cannot be an elementary quanta of the quark field, as the color field of which it is the source is itself a source hence making isolated (noninteracting) quarks impossible. In geometrical language, the impossibility of quarks and gluons as physical particles arises due to the fact that the color Yang-Mills space does not have a constant trivial curvature.Comment: 6 pages, LaTe

On the Origin of Elementary Particle Masses

The oldest enigma in fundamental particle physics is: Where do the observed masses of elementary particles come from? Inspired by observation of the empirical particle mass spectrum we propose that the masses of elementary particles arise solely due to the self-interaction of the fields associated with a particle. We thus assume that the mass is proportional to the strength of the interaction of the field with itself. A simple application of this idea to the fermions is seen to yield a mass for the neutrino in line with constraints from direct experimental upper limits and correct order of magnitude predictions of mass separations between neutrinos, charged leptons and quarks. The neutrino interacts only through the weak force, hence becomes light. The electron interacts also via electromagnetism and accordingly becomes heavier. The quarks also have strong interactions and become heavy. The photon is the only fundamental particle to remain massless, as it is chargeless. Gluons gain mass comparable to quarks, or slightly larger due to a somewhat larger color charge. Including particles outside the standard model proper, gravitons are not exactly massless, but very light due to their very weak self-interaction. Some immediate and physically interesting consequences arise: i) Gluons have an effective range $\sim 1$fm, physically explaining why QCD has finite reach ii) Gravity has an effective range $\sim 100$ Mpc coinciding with the largest known structures; the cosmic voids iii) Gravitational waves undergo dispersion even in vacuum, and have all five polarizations (not just the two of $m=0$), which might explain why they have not yet been detected.Comment: 7 page

Newtonian Quantum Gravity

A Newtonian approach to quantum gravity is studied. At least for weak gravitational fields it should be a valid approximation. Such an approach could be used to point out problems and prospects inherent in a more exact theory of quantum gravity, yet to be discovered. Newtonian quantum gravity, e.g., shows promise for prohibiting black holes altogether (which would eliminate singularities and also solve the black hole information paradox), breaks the equivalence principle of general relativity, and supports non-local interactions (quantum entanglement). Its predictions should also be testable at length scales well above the "Planck scale", by high-precision experiments feasible even with existing technology. As an illustration of the theory, it turns out that the solar system, superficially, perfectly well can be described as a quantum gravitational system, provided that the $l$ quantum number has its maximum value, $n-1$. This results exactly in Kepler's third law. If also the $m$ quantum number has its maximum value ($\pm l$) the probability density has a very narrow torus-like form, centered around the classical planetary orbits. However, as the probability density is independent of the azimuthal angle $\phi$ there is, from quantum gravity arguments, no reason for planets to be located in any unique place along the orbit (or even \textit{in} an orbit for $m \neq \pm l$). This is, in essence, a reflection of the "measurement problem" inherent in all quantum descriptions

Nonlinear gauge interactions - A solution to the "measurement problem" in quantum mechanics?

We propose that the mechanism responsible for the ``collapse of the wave function" (or "decoherence" in its broadest meaning) in quantum mechanics is the nonlinearities already present in the theory via nonabelian gauge interactions. Unlike all other models of spontaneous collapse, our proposal is, to the best of our knowledge, the only one which does not introduce any new elements into the theory. Indeed, unless the gauge interaction nonlinearities are not used for exactly this purpose, one must then explain why the violation of the superposition principle which they introduce does not destroy quantum mechanics. A possible experimental test of the model would be to compare the coherence lengths for, e.g., electrons and photons in a double-slit experiment. The electrons should have a finite coherence length, while photons should have a much longer (in principle infinite) coherence length.Comment: 7 pages, LaTe

"Quantum machine" to solve quantum "measurement problem"?

Recently a study of the first superposed mechanical quantum object ("machine") visible to the naked eye was published. However, as we show, it turns out that if the object would actually be observed, i.e. would interact with an optical photon, the quantum behavior should vanish. This, the actual observation, has long been suspected in many interpretations of quantum mechanics to be what makes the transition quantum $\rightarrow$ classical, but so far it has not been available for direct experimental study in a mechanical system. We show how any interaction, even a purely quantum one, of sufficient strength can constitute a physical "measurement" - essentially the emergence of an effectively classical object - active observation thus being a sufficient but not necessary criterion. So it seems we have in this case of the "quantum machine" a unique possibility to study, and possibly solve, the long-standing "measurement problem" of quantum mechanics.Comment: 4 page

Reply to comment on ``A simple explanation of the non-appearance of physical gluons and quarks"

This is the reply to a comment by Andreas Aste [hep-th/0302103] on a previous article of mine in Can.J.Phys. The counter-arguments used by Aste utilize a mathematical limit without physical meaning. We still contend that in QCD, the particles ``gluons'' and ``quarks'' are merely artifacts of an approximation method (the perturbative expansion) and are simply absent in the exact theory.Comment: 2 pages, to appear in Can.J.Phy

Nonlinear gauge interactions: a possible solution to the "measurement problem" in quantum mechanics

Two fundamental, and unsolved problems in physics are: i) the resolution of the "measurement problem" in quantum mechanics ii) the quantization of strongly nonlinear (nonabelian) gauge theories. The aim of this paper is to suggest that these two problems might be linked, and that a mutual, simultaneous solution to both might exist. We propose that the mechanism responsible for the "collapse of the wave function" in quantum mechanics is the nonlinearities already present in the theory via nonabelian gauge interactions. Unlike all other models of spontaneous collapse, our proposal is, to the best of our knowledge, the only one which does not introduce any new elements into the theory. A possible experimental test of the model would be to compare the coherence lengths - here defined as the distance over which quantum mechanical superposition is still valid - for, \textit{e.g}, electrons and photons in a double-slit experiment. The electrons should have a finite coherence length, while photons should have a much longer coherence length (in principle infinite, if gravity - a very weak effect indeed unless we approach the Planck scale - is ignored).Comment: 11 pages, Accepted for publicatio

The "proton spin crisis" - a quantum query

The "proton spin crisis" was introduced in the late 1980s, when the EMC-experiment revealed that little or nothing of a proton's spin seemed to be carried by its quarks. The main objective of this paper is to point out that it is wrong to assume that the proton spin, measured by completely different experimental setups, should be the same in all circumstances.Comment: 5 page

Aspects of nonrelativistic quantum gravity

A nonrelativistic approach to quantum gravity is studied. At least for weak gravitational fields it should be a valid approximation. Such an approach can be used to point out problems and prospects inherent in a more exact theory of quantum gravity, yet to be discovered. Nonrelativistic quantum gravity, e.g., shows promise for prohibiting black holes altogether (which would eliminate singularities and also solve the black hole information paradox), gives gravitational radiation even in the spherically symmetric case, and supports non-locality (quantum entanglement). Its predictions should also be testable at length scales well above the "Planck scale", by high-precision experiments feasible with existing technology.Comment: Accepted for publicatio

Physical Origin of Elementary Particle Masses

In contemporary particle physics, the masses of fundamental particles are incalculable constants, being supplied by experimental values. Inspired by observation of the empirical particle mass spectrum, and their corresponding physical interaction couplings, we propose that the masses of elementary particles arise solely due to the self-interaction of the fields associated with the charges of a particle. A first application of this idea is seen to yield correct order of magnitude predictions for neutrinos, charged leptons and quarks. We then discuss more ambitious models, where also different generations may arise from \textit{e.g.} self-organizing bifurcations due to the underlying non-linear dynamics, with the coupling strength acting as "non-linearity" parameter. If the model is extended to include gauge bosons, the photon is automatically the only fundamental particle to remain massless as it has no charges. It results that gluons have an effective range $\sim 1$fm, physically explaining why QCD has finite reach.Comment: 18 page