GRAVITATION AS A CASIMIR EFFECT

We describe how dispersion forces between two atoms in ordinary electromagnetism come about and how they may be derived. Then we introduce hypothetical particles interacting with a harmonic oscillator interaction potential. We demonstrate that in a system with this type of interacting particles the retarded dispersion interaction between composite particles varies as 1/r, i.e. just like the gravitational potential does. This demonstrates that gravitation can be a Casimir effect.Electronic version of an article published as: Bo E Sernelius, GRAVITATION AS A CASIMIR EFFECT, 2009, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MODERN PHYSICS A, (24), 8-9, 1804-1812. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0217751X09045388 Copyright: World Scientific Publishing Co Ltd http://www.worldscinet.com/