Vac fluct e+/e- field correlated because charge conservation

[Spinnor]

Main Question or Discussion Point

Are fluctuations of the electron/positron field correlated in space and time because of charge conservation? We can't just have some positive charge just pop into existence, even if only for a moment?

Thanks for any help!

 

[strangerep]

You might need to give a bit more background to your question. I'm not sure if you're asking a very advanced question related to the Reeh--Schlieder theorem, or a very basic question that could be answered by saying: "no, QFT respects special relativity and associated conservation laws".

 

[Spinnor]

You might need to give a bit more background to your question. I'm not sure if you're asking a very advanced question related to the Reeh--Schlieder theorem, or a very basic question that could be answered by saying: "no, QFT respects special relativity and associated conservation laws".

Probably not the advanced question! If the electron/positron field can fluctuate, then charge is created, and it must be created in equal and opposite amounts?

 

[strangerep]

Probably not the advanced question! If the electron/positron field can fluctuate, then charge is created, and it must be created in equal and opposite amounts?

Those "vacuum fluctuations", "virtual particles", etc, etc, that you've probably been reading about are merely unphysical artifacts that arise in intermediate stages of archane mathematical calculations in QFT. It's a mistake to attribute physical reality to them.