Correcting the Serious Errors in Maxwell’s Electromagnetic Theory Based on the Action-at-a-Distance Principle or the Action/Reaction Principle

Abstract

Shuang-Ren Zhao*

The Action-at-a-distance principle and the action/reaction principle are similar in content but were proposed by two different groups of researchers. The Action-at-a-distance group consists of physicists such as Schwarzschild, Dirac, Wheeler and Feynman, Stephenson, and Cramer. The action/reaction principle pertains to classical electromagnetic field researchers like Lorentz, Rumsey, Welch, the author (Zhao), Hoop, Petrusenko, among others. Both theories involve advanced waves. The Action-at-a-distance principle posits that advanced waves are physically real. The action/reaction principle does not explicitly state whether advanced waves are physically real but provides more details for electromagnetic field calculations. In 2017, the author realized that these two theories are interconnected and proposed the Mutual Energy Flow Theorem. The Mutual Energy Flow Theorem is built upon the Mutual Energy Theorem (or energy-type reciprocity theorem). Mutual energy flow consists of both retarded and advanced waves. The author discovered that mutual energy flow can be expressed using the action and reaction principles. Mutual energy flow possesses photon-like properties and can be considered as particles. The author found that action and reaction are mutual interactions, not self-interactions. Mutual interactions (mutual energy flow) transfer energy, which inherently requires that self- interactions (self-energy flow) do not transfer energy. On the other hand, according to the ether theory, the electromagnetic wave source radiates electromagnetic waves, which propagate through the ether. When the electromagnetic waves encounter a receiving device, such as a receiving antenna, a portion of the energy is transferred from the ether to the receiving antenna. Since the ether fills the entire universe, electromagnetic waves can continue to propagate indefinitely in regions without receiving antennas, the Earth, the Moon, or stars, potentially causing radiation to overflow the universe. This ether theory of electromagnetic waves allows radiation to overflow the universe. Conversely, if only action and reaction of equal magnitude and opposite direction are permitted, radiation overflow is disallowed, thereby preventing electromagnetic waves from overflowing the universe. Thus, the two electromagnetic wave theories—electromagnetic waves propagating in the ether and electromagnetic waves described by action and reaction—can be tested by whether radiation overflow the universe is permitted. The ether theory allows radiation to overflow the universe, whereas the action and reaction theory does not. The author supports the theory that radiation does not overflow the universe, which aligns with the action and reaction principle or the Action-at-a-distance theory. The author proposed a new axiom that radiation does not overflow the universe. First, the author relaxed Maxwell’s equations. Then, by adding the new axiom that radiation does not overflow the universe, a new electromagnetic theory was formed. The solutions to this electromagnetic theory deviate from those of Maxwell’s equations. A characteristic of these solutions is that electromagnetic waves are reactive power. Therefore, on average, the Poynting vector (self-energy flow) of electromagnetic waves does not transfer energy from the light source to distant locations. Instead, it is the mutual energy flow, composed of action and reaction, that transfers energy.

HTML PDF