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Semi-Classical Models for Virtual Antiparticle PairsVirtual particle-antiparticle pairs of massive elementary particle& are predicted in Quantum Field Theory (QFT) to appear from the vacuum and annihilate each other again within their Heisenberg lifetimes h/4mc(exp 2). In this work, semiclassical models of this process - for the cases of massive leptons, quarks, and the massive weak bosons W and Z - are constructed. It is shown that the dynamical lifetime of the particle- antiparticle system in each case equals the Heisenberg lifetime to good approximation, and obeys appropriate quantization conditions on the field fluctuation action. In other words, the dynamical lifetime of the semiclassical model agrees with QED and QCD to good approximation. But the formula for the dynamical lifetime in each model includes the force strength coupling constant (e in the lepton case, alpha(sup s) (q(exp 2)) in the quark cases), while the Heisenberg lifetime formula does not. Observing the agreement of the Heisenberg and dynamical lifetimes, we may derive the QED and QCD coupling constants in terms of h, c, and numerical factors only.
Document ID
20010050982
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Batchelor, David
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Zukor, Dorothy
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2001
Subject Category
Physics Of Elementary Particles And Fields
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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