July, 2006 PROGRESS IN PHYSICS Volume 3 Steady Particle States of Revised Electromagnetics

A revised Lorentz invariant electromagnetic theory leading beyond Maxwell’s equations, and to a form of extended quantum electrodynamics, has been elaborated on the basis of a nonzero electric charge density and a nonzero electric field divergence in the vacuum state. Among the applications of this theory, there are steady electromagnetic states having no counterpart in conventional theory and resulting in models of electrically charged and neutral leptons, such as the electron and the neutrino. The analysis of the electron model debouches into a point-charge-like geometry with a very small characteristic radius but having finite self-energy. This provides an alternative to the conventional renormalization procedure. In contrast to conventional theory, an integrated radial force balance can further be established in which the electron is prevented from “exploding ” under the action of its net self-charge. Through a combination of variational analysis and an investigation of the radial force balance, a value of the electronic charge has been deduced which deviates by only one percent from that obtained in experiments. This deviation requires further investigation. A model of the neutrino finally reproduces some of the basic features, such as a small but nonzero rest mass, an angular momentum but no magnetic moment, and long mean free paths in solid matter.