Dynamic Vacuum Model

and Casimir Cavity Experiments

Harold White
June 2019
Prologue: there and back again…
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

• As most know, we are fans of the pilot wave approach: we think the vacuum is
dynamic, and this is the source of stochasticity in quantum mechanics
• At the 2017 FISW, we presented our models and numerical analysis results of
the hydrogen atom where electron orbitals are conjectured to be acoustic
resonances of the system
• Our @2015 hydrogen atom model incorporated some heuristic logic, and as such was not
as rigorous as we would have preferred…
• In this 2019 talk, we will present a more rigorous and meticulous approach of
deriving the acoustic wave equation from the Schrödinger equation
• We have redone the hydrogen atom model, and extended the approach to the hydrogen
molecule (and have just begun modelling the proton)
• We will provide a synopsis of some lab work being pursued whose results
strengthen the position that the vacuum is indeed dynamic
• We will introduce some new thoughts stimulated by all this work that may
provide some possible experimental approaches that can be further explored
(that may have bearing on interstellar flight)
Dynamic Vacuum Model Synopsis
Our viewpoints on the nature of the quantum vacuum are as
follows:
• Quantum vacuum is dynamic medium (spatially and temporally).
• Vacuum can constructively and destructively interfere
• Quantum vacuum can sustain longitudinal wave modes, so
internal constituents are capable of interacting and exchanging
momentum…
• You can push off of it.
• Acoustic resonances in the quantum vacuum are directly
responsible for atomic structure.
• Supporting physics model can be categorized as a
non-local, hidden-variable theory, or pilot-wave
theory.
• Pilot wave theories are family of realist
interpretations
of quantum mechanics.
- Conjecture that statistical nature of quantum
mechanics due to ignorance of underlying more
fundamental real dynamics.
- Microscopic particles follow real trajectories over
time
just like larger classical bodies do.

Excerpts from “The pilot-wave dynamics of walking droplets” by Daniel Harris and John Bush at MIT
Full video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmC0ygr08tE
Derivation of Acoustic Wave Equation
from Schrodinger Equation
Madelung Equations

After some work…

Schrödinger Equation in Polar Form

Using following two relationships:

We arrive at Madelung equations

Separate into real and imaginary parts (quantum Euler-like equations)
Acoustic Wave Equation (1)
• Madelung equations similar form to those of hydrodynamics
(continuity and force equations).
• Probability density ρ can be identified with mass density ρm by
multiplying by mass m.
• Mass m represents speck of matter that travels in and through
quantum fluid with velocity v.
Utilize:

Continuity equation: Force equation (multiply by ρm):

Acoustic Wave Equation (2)

Force equation:

Continuity equation:

If it is assumed that s is
very small, and that ρm0
is weak function of time Assume:
Acoustic Wave Equation (3)

Equation of state:

Relationship between total pressure and mass density can be

represented as Taylor series expansion:

Assume magnitude of wave small, only need keep lowest order term
Left equation uses adiabatic
bulk modulus term:

Rewriting :
Acoustic Wave Equation (4)
Utilizing linearized equations…

Take time derivative Take gradient

Acoustic wave equation

Helmholtz equation
Hydrogen Atom (Redux)
Hydrogen Atom (Redux)
Hydrogen Molecule
So what…who cares?
• The derivation of the acoustic wave equation from Schrödinger clearly
shows that electron orbitals can be viewed as acoustic resonances
• An acoustic oscillation requires spatial and temporal variations of the
propagation medium to be manifest
• This required that a density field and velocity field be specified for the
numerical model to be solved
• This may change the pilot wave vs Copenhagen debate from ontological
to epistemological
• Ontological – take your pick of either view, whatever suits you…
• Epistemological – Copenhagen is incomplete (akin to Special
relativity), pilot wave (dynamic vacuum) is more fundamental (akin
to General Relativity)
• Pilot wave model will allow us to ask questions that Copenhagen
interpretation will not…
Radioisotope Decay Experiment
A possible reason to care about…

• If vacuum is dynamic, it can sustain longitudinal waves

• These waves can constructively and destructively interfere
• A crystal lattice of material will have a large number of sources
(atoms) of multiple frequencies of longitudinal waves, with strong
phase angle decoherence (waves not in phase)
• This will allow for manifestation of rogue wave statistics, and thus
allow new ways to aggregate large amounts of energy and couple
a phenomenon to the Hamiltonian of a nucleus.

• Constructive/destructive interference of phonon energy in a

radioisotope lattice within localized proximity of a nuclei may
serve as the trigger of a decay event, and could allow for
modification of radioisotope decay characteristics.

Audience: Rogue what??

Rogue Waves Raleigh distribution (named after English Lord
Raleigh) is continuous curve of probability used in
numerous statistical applications.
Here it models wave density vs wave amplitude.

Ordinarily, the Raleigh curve for As phase angle decoherence

wave statistics follows this red When the wave amplitude is ~5x the most becomes larger, the Raleigh curve
curve on a semi-log plot common wave amplitue, this is categorized builds up a “tail” that shows non-
as the threshold for rogue waves. zero chance for much larger waves.

10000
Number density of waves

1000

100

10

1
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

Wave amplitude

Terrestrial Example: Draupner platform in central North This mechanism is a way that linear
Sea off the coast of Norway hit by “rogue wave” in 1995 waves can manifest very non-linear
with max wave height of 25.6 m (84ft), causing damage characteristics
to lower decks of Draupner E platform
 Vacuum Coherence
 Lattice model of atoms built to study 3d
wave staticstics in medium 10000

 As magnitude of random phase angle of 1000

waves gets larger, wave statistics builds up

large tail in rogue wave regime 100

 3d animations of zero phase and random 10

phase provided for visualization

1
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

Zero phase Random phase

 Experimental Rig
• Empirical effort will explore ability to perturb decay rate of beta-
emitting radioisotope samples (Nickel 63, Cobalt 60, and
Cesium 137) by stimulating target with p-polarized THz
electromagnetic radiation.
Experiment Summary
• Experiment utilizes Eckert and Zeigler 25 mm
diameter disc sources with 14mm active area of
beta-emitting radioisotope samples.
• Two tunable lasers are used to generate THz
stimulation on the surface of the coupon
• The two laser beams are each passed through
a GTH10M mounted Glan-Thompson calcite
polarizer to provide a p-polarized beam spot on
the surface of the disc source.
• Frequency of each laser is set such that beat
frequency of two intersecting laser spots on
surface of the sample is in the THz range.
• Beta emission rate is measured using Ludlums
model 4603, 3 channel benchtop counter
connected to Ludlums 44-88 Geiger-Mueller
pancake-type detector.
• The THz stimulation is varied in the ~1 to 10
THz range based on disc source phonon
resonances.
Cs-137 Campaign
Cesium THz Stimulation
3156

Cesium chloride density of

states curve shown for
comparison with results

2367
Average Delta-count (8-hour period)

1578

789

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Frequency (THz)
Ni-63 Campaign
Nickel 63 Internal & External Baseline
4500 5000

External Sensor Data

4000 4500

External Sensor Counts (2-hour count)

Internal Sensor Counts (2-hour count)

3500 y = 6.50682E-154e 8.30758E-03x 4000

R² = 5.92199E-01
-0.23 yr half-life

3000 3500

y = 8.39563E+25e -1.19060E-03x y = 2.80199E+52e -2.59469E-03x

R² = 2.57854E-01 R² = 9.14821E-02
1.6 yr half-life 0.73 yr half-life
2500 3000
Internal Sensor Data

2000 2500
10/7/2018 10/17/2018 10/27/2018 11/6/2018 11/16/2018 11/26/2018 12/6/2018 12/16/2018
Time (day)
Again, so what…who cares ?

• Our data collected to date shows that there is a

phenomenon present that requires further investigation
• The Copenhagen interpretation does not provide any
mechanism for this effect to manifest
• Dynamic vacuum model does and was catalyst to perform
experiment
• MIT team has also seen similar signatures with their testing
of Co-57
• All that to say that this empirical evidence coupled with
theoretical work is very supportive of viewpoint that
vacuum is dynamic…

• So what else might be possible as a result of this?

Casimir Intersection
Casimir intersection
• In the 2015 work exploring acoustic resonances in the
vacuum as electron orbitals, team discovered that atom
could be viewed as analog for Casimir cavity
• When viewing the S-orbitals (n=1,2,…), one could envision a
Casimir cavity with a separation distance d = 2r, and the
predicted negative vacuum energy density for the cavity was
~3x the predicted average density from the dynamic
vacuum model
• With the incorporation of the atomic number, this was also
true for Z=1,2….
Casimir intersection (2)
• During the 2019 effort, it occurred to the team that while
the atom may be viewed as a microscopic analog of a
Casimir cavity , perhaps the opposite may be true as well…
• Perhaps the Casimir cavity may be a macroscopic analog of
the atomic system.
• If this is true, then there is going to be structure in the cavity
– the negative vacuum energy density will not be isotropic
• Said another way, the familiar Casimir cavity formula is only
an average value
• Based on the considerations of this recent inquiry, it would
seem the Casimir cavity may have an effective electric field
in the gap that originates at the mid-plane of the gap as a
result of vacuum polarization
 Polarization of vacuum
There is structure in the gap between
the Casimir plates due to vacuum Symmetry at midplane
polarization of Casimir cavity

+ -

+ -
+ -
+ -

+ -
+ -
+ -
+ -
+ -

+ -
+ -

+ -

+ -
+ -
+ -

+ -
Virtuale+e- dipole pairs
of length ~1/m + -

+ -
+ -

+ -

+ -
+ -

+ -
+ -

1 2ℏ𝑐𝜋 2
𝐸= 4
9𝜖0
240 ∙ 16 𝑑ൗ2
Notional Casimir Experiments
Experiment 1: Voltage Measurement

10 MΩ Oscilloscope

1mm x 0.2mm plates

Based on dimensions of
cavity, noted scope will read
-3 millivolts for 0.1
milliseconds

1 micrometer
Experiment 2: Amplified Casimir Force

1mm x 0.2mm plates

-6 millivolts

Applied external voltage of -6

millivolts will increase Casimir force
by fourfold

Increasing magnitude of
1 micrometer negative vacuum energy
density?
Experiment 3: Rectified Casimir Force

Apply external voltage of -0.1 2 micrometers

millivolts to fork

0.2 mm x 0.05 mm plates

~2.3x10-16 N
of thrust force

With 100% efficient

system, thrust to power
will be 6.8 nN/W, or 2x
photon rocket

7 micrometers 
Casimir wafer array

1cm

1cm

0.655 pN,
Voltage = 0.1 mV
Current = 0.96 A

143x20 array of Casimir

cavities on 1cm2 wafer
 3a: Rectified Casimir Force Enhancement

Apply external voltage of -40 2 micrometers

millivolts to fork

0.2 mm x 0.05 mm plates

~3.67x10-11 N
of thrust force
• Apply external magnetic field of B = 0.2 T
2000 Gauss pseudo-normal to
the plates to increase ambient
vacuum density
• slows exit velocity of vacuum
flow With 100% efficient system,
• raises thrust to power thrust to power will be 6.3
uN/W, or 1900x photon rocket

This is just an order of

magnitude below Hall
thruster
7 micrometers
Casimir wafer array, with enhancement

1cm

B = 0.2 T

B = 0.2 T 1cm

B = 0.2 T 0.11 uN,

Voltage = 0.04 mV
Current = 0.42 A

143x20 array of Casimir

cavities on 1cm2 wafer
Epilogue: The road goes ever on and on…
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

• We have derived the acoustic wave equation from the

Schrödinger equation, which is supportive of our conjecture
that atomic orbitals can be viewed as acoustic resonances.
• An acoustic oscillation requires spatial and temporal variations of
the propagation medium to be manifest.
• This in turn supports our view that the vacuum is dynamic.
• Dynamic vacuum model allows us to ask questions that
Copenhagen interpretation will not…
• This view helped us develop a radioisotope decay
experiment that is seeing encouraging results to date…
• This view has also helped us develop some notional Casimir
experiments that, if successful, might lead to approaches
useful for deep space and interstellar exploration hopes…
Godspeed!