Radiation passing through Planck-scale wormholes

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the ability of electromagnetic radiation to pass through Planck-scale wormholes, referencing a study by David Hochberg and Thomas Kephart. It challenges the common belief that electromagnetic waves cannot traverse apertures smaller than their wavelength, suggesting that this may be a misconception. The conversation highlights that while electromagnetic radiation can bend around small apertures, the implications for wormholes remain unclear. The study proposes that wormholes could allow for the traversal of radiation despite their small diameters.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electromagnetic radiation and its properties
  • Familiarity with wave optics and diffraction principles
  • Knowledge of Maxwell's equations in physics
  • Basic concepts of wormholes in theoretical physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research "Maxwell's equations and electromagnetic fields" for a deeper understanding of wave behavior.
  • Study "Single-slit diffraction" to grasp how electromagnetic waves interact with small apertures.
  • Explore "Planck-scale physics" to understand the implications of wormholes in quantum mechanics.
  • Investigate "theoretical models of wormholes" to learn about their properties and potential applications in physics.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for theoretical physicists, students of advanced physics, and anyone interested in the intersection of quantum mechanics and cosmology, particularly regarding the behavior of electromagnetic radiation in extreme conditions.

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This is something that has really been bugging me lately. There was a study from over twenty years ago that proposed that electromagnetic radiation might have been able to pass from one end of the universe to another in the early universe, furnishing an explanation for the homogeneity of the universe today. However, I also know that it is a common belief that a given electromagnetic wave cannot traverse an aperture with a width smaller than its wavelength. However, I have found many physics textbooks and university webpages that contradict this, leading me to think this may just be a common misconception or an old wives' tale. But anyway, if this was true, then the physicists who conducted that study would surely have been aware of it. Surely, a Planckian-sized wormhole's mouth diameter would be far smaller than the wavelength of any traveling electromagnetic wave. So does this mean that this supposed rule, which I think might be a misconception, is true, but it does not apply to wormholes, or does it mean that this supposed rule is untrue? Thank You.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Electromagentic radiation can traverse a slit smaller than its wavelength.

If the slit is bigger than the wavelength, then electromagentic radiation passes through it as if it consists of rays that travel in a straight line.

If the slit is smaller than the wavelength, the electromagnetic radiation will bend around the aperture, rather than traveling in a straight line.

Both of those descriptions can be treated as approximations of an accurate description of electromagnetic radiation as fields obeying Maxwell's equations.

https://www.boundless.com/physics/textbooks/boundless-physics-textbook/wave-optics-26/diffraction-175/single-slit-diffraction-639-10954/
http://labman.phys.utk.edu/phys222core/modules/m9/diffraction.htm
 

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