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srfriggen
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Would/should the mass of a particle measured between the two plates (typical casimir experiment setup) be different than measured outside the plates? If so would this be evidence of the Higgs field/mechanism?
Yes, I see what you mean. In general all quantum fields are subject to vacuum fluctuations and the Casimir force. But afaik the coupling of the Higgs boson (not the vev) is suppressed by the usual Fermi coupling constant GF~ 1/MW2. That means that the weak Casimir effect is weak compared to the electromagnetic one. I have to check the details.srfriggen said:It was my understanding that the Higgs field was created from vacuum fluctuations of the Higgs boson. Do you see the implicatios now? If the higgs boson exists it's power may be different between the plates.
The Casimir Effect and the Quantum VacuumKimball A. Milton said:Zero-point fluctuations in quantum fields give rise to observable forces between material bodies, the so-called Casimir forces. In these lectures I present the theory of the Casimir effect, primarily formulated in terms of Green's functions. There is an intimate relation between the Casimir effect and van der Waals forces. Applications to conductors and dielectric bodies of various shapes will be given for the cases of scalar, electromagnetic, and fermionic fields. The dimensional dependence of the effect will be described. Finally, we ask the question: Is there a connection between the Casimir effect and the phenomenon of sonoluminescence?
R.L. Jaffe said:In discussions of the cosmological constant, the Casimir effect is often invoked as decisive evidence that the zero point energies of quantum fields are "real''. On the contrary, Casimir effects can be formulated and Casimir forces can be computed without reference to zero point energies. They are relativistic, quantum forces between charges and currents. The Casimir force (per unit area) between parallel plates vanishes as [itex]\alpha[/itex], the fine structure constant, goes to zero, and the standard result, which appears to be independent of [itex]\alpha[/itex], corresponds to the [itex]\alpha\to\infty[/itex] limit.
No, not precisely. The source of Hawking radiation is a pair of virtual particles created from vacuum (no particle).srfriggen said:Isn't that precisely how Hawking Radiation works?
I agree that using (visual) models is sometimes helpful, but one has to be aware of the fact that they are models.srfriggen said:How do you conceptualize all of these things without being able to have some visualization of what's going on!
tom.stoer said:No, not precisely. The source of Hawking radiation is a pair of virtual particles created from vacuum (no particle).
I agree that using (visual) models is sometimes helpful, but one has to be aware of the fact that they are models.
The Higgs field is a theoretical field that permeates all of space and gives particles their mass. It was first proposed by Peter Higgs in the 1960s as a way to explain why particles have mass despite being thought of as massless by previous theories.
The Higgs field works by interacting with particles as they move through it. This interaction gives particles their mass through a process called the Higgs mechanism. The more a particle interacts with the Higgs field, the more mass it has.
The Casimir effect is a phenomenon in quantum mechanics where two parallel plates placed close together in a vacuum experience a force pushing them together. This force is caused by the fluctuations and interactions of virtual particles in the vacuum.
The Casimir effect is related to the Higgs field through the concept of vacuum energy. The Higgs field contributes to the vacuum energy, which in turn affects the Casimir effect. The Higgs field also plays a role in the mass of the virtual particles involved in the Casimir effect.
The Higgs field and the Casimir effect are both important concepts in modern physics. The Higgs field helps us understand the origin of mass in the universe, and the Casimir effect provides evidence for the existence of virtual particles and the impact of vacuum energy on physical systems. They both play a crucial role in our understanding of the fundamental forces and particles in the universe.