Wheeler Feynman absorber theory and non locality

[entropy15]

As per the Wheeler Feynman absorber theory, there cannot be electromagnetic radiation
without an emitter and absorber.

If we had only a single electron in the universe then disturbing it (accelerating it) would not produce any radiation since there was nothing to absorb it. Hence it would also not experience any radiation resistance.

In the case of electromagnetic waves in the real universe with so many emitters and absorbers, we cannot use radiation resistance to check the presence of absorbers in the vicinity of the emitter.
This is due to the fact that radiation resistance is the same in all the directions.

This can be attributed to the fact that electromagnetic forces are long range forces.
Since the universe is smooth on a large scale, the number of absorbers in any direction is uniform and hence radiation resistance the same in all directions.

The same would apply for gravity since it is also a long range force.

But what about the nuclear forces - the strong and weak interaction. These are localized over small distances. So do the particles interacting with these forces have knowledge about absorbers in their vicinty. Is the process non local?

 

[azntoon]

The answer is yes. The process is non local in nature. It is explained by the concept of virtual particles. Virtual particles are exchanged between interacting particles and this exchange can be considered as a form of communication between the two particles. Hence the particles know about the absorbers in the vicinity of the emitter.