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The Hamiltonian structure of Dirac's equation in tensor form and its Fermi quantization

Currently, there is some interest in studying the tensor forms of the Dirac equation to elucidate the possibility of the constrained tensor fields admitting Fermi quantization. We demonstrate that the bispinor and tensor Hamiltonian systems have equivalent Fermi quantizations. Although the tensor Hamiltonian system is noncanonical, representing the tensor Poisson brackets as commutators for the Heisenberg operators directly leads to Fermi quantization without the use of bispinors.

Reifler, Frank↗

Nonlinear modes of the tensor Dirac equation and CPT violation

Recently, it has been shown that Dirac's bispinor equation can be expressed, in an equivalent tensor form, as a constrained Yang-Mills equation in the limit of an infinitely large coupling constant. It was also shown that the free tensor Dirac equation is a completely integrable Hamiltonian system with Lie algebra type Poisson brackets, from which Fermi quantization can be derived directly without using bispinors. The Yang-Mills equation for a finite coupling constant is investigated. It is shown that the nonlinear Yang-Mills equation has exact plane wave solutions in one-to-one correspondence with the plane wave solutions of Dirac's bispinor equation. The theory of nonlinear dispersive waves is applied to establish the existence of wave packets. The CPT violation of these nonlinear wave packets, which could lead to new observable effects consistent with current experimental bounds, is investigated.

Reifler, Frank J.↗

Second quantization in bit-string physics

Using a new fundamental theory based on bit-strings, a finite and discrete version of the solutions of the free one particle Dirac equation as segmented trajectories with steps of length h/mc along the forward and backward light cones executed at velocity +/- c are derived. Interpreting the statistical fluctuations which cause the bends in these segmented trajectories as emission and absorption of radiation, these solutions are analogous to a fermion propagator in a second quantized theory. This allows us to interpret the mass parameter in the step length as the physical mass of the free particle. The radiation in interaction with it has the usual harmonic oscillator structure of a second quantized theory. How these free particle masses can be generated gravitationally using the combinatorial hierarchy sequence (3,10,137,2(sup 127) + 136), and some of the predictive consequences are sketched.

Noyes, H. Pierre↗

Particle localization, spinor two-valuedness, and Fermi quantization of tensor systems

Recent studies of particle localization shows that square-integrable positive energy bispinor fields in a Minkowski space-time cannot be physically distinguished from constrained tensor fields. In this paper we generalize this result by characterizing all classical tensor systems, which admit Fermi quantization, as those having unitary Lie-Poisson brackets. Examples include Euler's tensor equation for a rigid body and Dirac's equation in tensor form.

Reifler, Frank↗

Collisional excitation of electron Landau levels in strong magnetic fields

The cross sections for the excitation and deexcitation of the quantized transverse energy levels of an electron in a magnetic field are calculated for electron-proton and electron-electron collisions in light of the importance of the cross sections for studies of X-ray pulsar emission. First-order matrix elements are calculated using the Dirac theory of the electron, thus taking into account relativistic effects, which are believed to be important in accreting neutron stars. Results for the collisional excitation of ground state electrons by protons are presented which demonstrate the importance of proton recoil and relativistic effects, and it is shown that electron-electron excitations may contribute 10 to 20% of the excitation rate from electron-proton scattering in a Maxwellian plasma. Finally, calculations of the cross section for electron-proton small-angle scattering are presented which lead to relaxation rates for the electron velocity distribution which are modified by the magnetic field, and to a possible increase in the value of the Coulomb logarithm.

Langer, S. H.↗

Pseudoclassical description of the Dirac Oscillator

In this paper we discuss the Dirac Oscillator wave equation in terms of pseudoclassical language, using Grassmann variables to describe the internal degrees of freedom of the oscillator. Regarding the original wave equation as a classical constraint, we use the theory of constrained systems, to develop a reparameterization invariant lagrangian, which is the pseudoclassical equivalent of the quantum case. The consistency of the Hamiltonian formalism and the quantization procedure are also analyzed.

Delsolmesa, Antonio↗

Quantum principles and free particles

The quantum principles that establish the energy levels and degeneracies needed to evaluate the partition functions are explored. The uncertainty principle is associated with the dual wave-particle nature of the model used to describe quantized gas particles. The Schroedinger wave equation is presented as a generalization of Maxwell's wave equation; the former applies to all particles while the Maxwell equation applies to the special case of photon particles. The size of the quantum cell in phase space and the representation of momentum as a space derivative operator follow from the uncertainty principle. A consequence of this is that steady-state problems that are space-time dependent for the classical model become only space dependent for the quantum model and are often easier to solve. The partition function is derived for quantized free particles and, at normal conditions, the result is the same as that given by the classical phase integral. The quantum corrections that occur at very low temperatures or high densities are derived. These corrections for the Einstein-Bose gas qualitatively describe the condensation effects that occur in liquid helium, but are unimportant for most practical purposes otherwise. However, the corrections for the Fermi-Dirac gas are important because they quantitatively describe the behavior of high-density conduction electron gases in metals and explain the zero point energy and low specific heat exhibited in this case.

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