An observable prerequisite for the existence of persistent currents

International audienceA classical model is presented for persistent currents in superconductors. Their existence is argued to be warranted because their decay would violate the second law of thermodynamics. This conclusion is achieved by analyzing comparatively Ohm's law and the Joule effect in normal metals and supercon-ducting materials. Whereas Ohm's law applies in identical terms in both cases, the Joule effect is shown to cause the temperature of a superconducting sample to decrease. An experiment is proposed to check the validity of this work in superconductors of both types I and II