RealNucleus submitted to Physics Essays: Standard Model Shaking?

The article Real Nucleus: Nuclear Binding as Dual Confinement without Strong and Weak Force to Physics Essays. The article shows that existence, binding energies and chemical reactions of atomic nuclei can be explained by Coulomb force between protons and electrons, thus without any reference to strong and weak nuclear forces.

The strong force was introduced to explain the existence of nuclei consisting of protons and neutrons by preventing collapse by proton repulsion, which is viewed to be impossible by the presence of neutral neutrons. 

If Coulomb is enough to explain existence of nuclei, then the main role for the strong force vanishes and the question arises if the strong force has any role at all, a question which carries over to the Standard Model with the strong force as fundamental pillar.   

RealNucleus postulates a nucleus to consist in basic form of a core/inner shell system of Z electrons surrounded by an outer shell system of 2Z protons with electrons and protons as non-overlapping unit charge densities of opposite signs but equal mass, interacting ting by Coulomb potentials. 

The mathematical model is thus exactly specified as well as the computation showing binding with energy in accordance with observations. The mathematics is thus fully clear and transparent. What can be questioned is the model as non-overlapping charges densities interacting by Coulomb potentials. But if this is indeed how real physics behaves (and why not?), then the Standard Model is shaking.

History Summary:

1. The nucleus discovered (1911–1919)
-Rutherford nuclear atom — α-scattering reveals a tiny massive charged core. E. Rutherford, "The Scattering of α and β Particles by Matter and the Structure of the Atom," Phil. Mag. 21, 669 (1911).

- The proton — disintegration of nitrogen yields hydrogen nuclei. E. Rutherford, Phil. Mag. 37, 581 (1919).

2. The proton–electron model (≈1920–1932)
The nucleus taken as A protons + (A−Z) electrons (charge Z, mass A). The reigning view through the 1920s — this is the historical picture RealNucleus revives. It foundered on three problems: the nitrogen spin–statistics anomaly, the uncertainty-principle confinement objection (an electron in ~fm gives momenta far above β energies), and nuclear magnetic moments of nuclear- not Bohr-magneton scale.

- Background and the model's difficulties are laid out in the era's review: H. A. Bethe & R. F. Bacher, "Nuclear Physics A: Stationary States of Nuclei," Rev. Mod. Phys. 8, 82 (1936) ("Bethe's Bible").

3. The neutron and the proton–neutron model (1932)
- Neutron discovered. J. Chadwick, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 136, 692 (1932). [already cited]

- Neutron as elementary constituent. D. Iwanenko, "The Neutron Hypothesis," Nature 129, 798 (1932).
- Proton–neutron model with exchange forces / isospin — the foundation of all modern structure theory. W. Heisenberg, "Über den Bau der Atomkerne. I," Z. Phys. 77, 1 (1932) (and parts II, III).

4. The two new forces (1934–1935)
- Weak interaction / β-decay theory — directly relevant to your new §6.3. E. Fermi, "Versuch einer Theorie der β-Strahlen. I," Z. Phys. 88, 161 (1934).

- Strong force / meson exchange. H. Yukawa, Proc. Phys.-Math. Soc. Japan 17, 48 (1935). [already cited]

5. The liquid-drop model (1928–1939)
Nucleus as an incompressible charged droplet — explains binding-energy systematics, fission.
- α-decay tunnelling (droplet precursor). G. Gamow, "Zur Quantentheorie des Atomkernes," Z. Phys. 51, 204 (1928).
- Semi-empirical mass formula. C. F. von Weizsäcker, "Zur Theorie der Kernmassen," Z. Phys. 96, 431 (1935).
- Fission. N. Bohr & J. A. Wheeler, "The Mechanism of Nuclear Fission," Phys. Rev. 56, 426 (1939).

6. The α-cluster model (1937–1938)
Nuclei built from α sub-units — the structural cousin you cite.
- J. A. Wheeler, "Molecular Viewpoints in Nuclear Structure," Phys. Rev. 52, 1083 (1937) (resonating-group).
- L. R. Hafstad & E. Teller, Phys. Rev. 54, 681 (1938). [already cited]

7. The shell model (1949)
Independent nucleons in a mean field + spin–orbit coupling; explains magic numbers. (Nobel 1963.)

- M. Goeppert Mayer, "On Closed Shells in Nuclei. II," Phys. Rev. 75, 1969 (1949).
- O. Haxel, J. H. D. Jensen, H. E. Suess, Phys. Rev. 75, 1766 (1949).

8. Collective and unified models (1950s–1970s)
- Collective (rotations/vibrations) unifying drop + shell. A. Bohr & B. R. Mottelson, Nuclear Structure, Vols. I (1969) & II (1975), Benjamin.
- Interacting Boson Model. A. Arima & F. Iachello, Phys. Rev. Lett. 35, 1069 (1975).

9. The QCD era and ab-initio nuclear theory (1990s–present)
Strong force as residual QCD; nucleons from quarks/gluons; predictive ab initio structure.
- Chiral effective field theory. S. Weinberg, Phys. Lett. B 251, 288 (1990); review E. Epelbaum, H.-W. Hammer, U.-G. Meißner, Rev. Mod. Phys. 81, 1773 (2009).
- Ab-initio methods (your natural benchmarks): GFMC — S. C. Pieper & R. B. Wiringa, Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 51, 53 (2001); no-core shell model — B. R. Barrett, P. Navrátil, J. P. Vary, Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys. 69, 131 (2013).

The through-line for your paper: the nucleus has been modelled as (proton+electron) → (proton+neutron) → droplet →α-clusters → shells → collective → QCD/ab-initio — and RealNucleus deliberately returns to stage 2, but recast as equal-mass Coulomb charge clouds, asking the same Coulomb packing to do the work the strong and weak forces were introduced for.

Is the Strong Nuclear Force Really Needed?

• For ninety years it has been a fixed point of physics that the atomic nucleus cannot be held together by electromagnetism. 
• The protons are all positively charged and repel; something else, a short-range strong force — mesons in Yukawa’s formulation, residual QCD today — must overcome that
• repulsion. 
• This force is one of the four fundamental interactions, and the whole of nuclear physicssince Chadwick’s neutron in 1932 rests on it. 
• To propose that a nucleus is bound by Coulomb forces alone, with no strong force at all, therefore looks not merely wrong but impossible: it is the textbook reason the strong force had to be invented

This is the intro to a new article extending RealQM from atoms to nuclei of atoms as RealNucleus showing that Coulomb forces suffice to keep a nucleus together.  This is realized by dual confinement between a core shell system of electrons surrounded by a shell system of protons, where the electrons keep the protons together, and the protons form a cage for the electrons. 

I agree with you that this seems impossible. That the strong force can be eliminated from a discussion about atomic nuclei? Yet this what mathematics shows to be true: Stable nuclei can form under only Coulomb potentials. There are are only two fundamental forces: Newton and Coulomb!

Take a look at the article and test the code realizing the math.

Help: How to understand that dual confinement between electrons and protons is possible? Start with H as 1 proton surrounded by 1 electron. Recall that the ion H- with an additional electron is a stable configuration. Conclude that 1p can bind 2e. Now switch roles of protons and electrons and conclude that 1e as core can bind 2p around. Generalize to the idea that Z electrons as core can bind 2Z protons around and so conclude that one part of the dual confinement may be possible. What remains is to see that the 2Z protons as a shell system surrounding a core of electrons can act as a form of cage keeping the electrons together despite mutual repulsion. Thus what seems like a miracle may not be miraculous.

A Real Theory of Everything — run it in your browser

• I've put up a single site tying together the last two volumes of Applied Mathematics: Body and Soul.
• The thesis is simple: physics as deterministic continuum mechanics in real 3D space, solved at finite precision — the precision Nature and any computer actually have. 
• Two scales, one mechanics: Large scale: Navier–Stokes with gravitation. The 2nd Law becomes real turbulent dissipation D ≥ 0 — no entropy, no statistics. 
• Atomic scale: a real Schrödinger equation for non-overlapping charge densities on physical 3D space — not a probability wave in 3N dimensions. 
• Two fundamental forces — gravitational (Newton) and electric (Coulomb/Maxwell) — and nothing else. This is where GR and QM stop being incompatible: both are Poisson potentials of one continuum mechanics in 3 space dimensions. 
• Every result is a self-contained browser simulation — Joule expansion, turbulence, cosmology, atoms, molecules, the periodic table. No installation. Open it and watch. 

PS Springer has rejected publication of the book Real Quantum Mechanics as Vol 6 in the Springer Body and Soul Applied Mathematics series, likewise Real Thermodynamics as Vol 5. Responsible editor Martin Peters, who edited Vol 1-4, refused to supply any motivation for the rejection against principles of open scientific discussion.  An article submitted to Springers Foundations of Physics met the same reception: No motivation, simply flat rejection. Is this the new norm in scientific publishing? Is it possible to reject a ms without any reason at all? Or by a reason that must be covered up? Is not only theoretical physics in a state of crisis, but also scientific publishing?

Real Theory of Everything

The new books in the Body and Soul Applied Mathematics series,  Real Thermodynamics Vol 5 and Real Quantum Mechanics as Vol 6 together form a Theory of Everything ToE as a unified theory for all scales from atomic geared by Coulomb potentials to large scales geared by gravitational potentials. 

This is a ToE based on just two forces, Coulomb force between charges of different signs and gravitational force between masses of positive sign, with potentials satisfying the same Poisson equation. 

This is a ToE based on a continuum model in 3 space dimensions of the same form using that a continuum harbors all scales. 

RealQM shows how a hierarchy of models can be built on an atomic model reaching into the mechanics of fluids and solids and beyond into astronomy.   

Recall that physicists generally pride themselves for having invented two great theories, Quantum Mechanics QM for small scales and General Relativity GR for large scales, both representing the highest achievements of human intellect all categories. After such a declaration it is generally admitted that QM and GR are incompatible and so do not offer a ToE as synthesis, followed by a request for more funding to reach this goal (with no real progress since 1926).

The physics community is now confronted with RealQM and Real Thermodynamics as a form of ToE. What I hope for is reading followed by questions, but what I meet is anger and rejection without reading. 

PS Note that the change of scale from human to the Solar system is about 12 orders of magnitude up and to a Hydrogen atom about 11 orders down, and that nothing really new is supposed to appear when going up, while going down is believed to open a whole new world of strange phenomena preventing unification. Does it make sense?   

Real Thermodynamics Book

I am now updating a book from 2012 on Computational Thermodynamics with new title Real Thermodynamics and new material from working together with Claude. 

Thermodynamics is by both teachers and students met with a sense of wonder combined with unease expressed by famous physicist Arnold Sommerfeld as a journey of learning that leaves you understanding it less, but getting used to it over time. Real Thermodynamics seeks to come to grips with this unhappy situation.

RealQM article submitted to Annales de la Fondation Louis de Broglie

The full length RealQM article submitted to Foundations of Physics at Springer was rejected without review and motivation by an editor without name, who apparently took the decision directly after having been assigned the task in an act of pure gate-keeping foreign to open scientific discourse. I have suggested to Springer to take a look at the RealQM book as Vol 6 in the Body and Soul series, but I expect the gate gate-keeping will extend. Physics as academic discipline is well organized to fend off outsider with control stretching to Foundations of Chemistry and ArXiv again without real review. 

I have now submitted a shorter version to Annales de la Fondation Louis de Broglie. Will be interesting to see if this journal adheres to policy of science rather than narrow academic politics. 

Update RealQM Book

The RealQM book is now updated to include in particular molecular and blackbody radiation, now 288 pages. Cooperation with Claude Code very productive!

RealQM Book: Body and Soul Vol 6

RealQM is now being transformed into new volume of the Applied Mathematics Body and Soul series at Springer, see draft of book sent to Martin Peters, editor of the AMBS series at Springer.

RealNucleus Fusion D + T = He4 + n

The basic fusion reaction of Deuterium (1 electron + 2 protons) + Tritium (2 e + 3p) = He4 ( 2e + 4p) + n( 1e + 1p) is now captured by RealNucleus as shown in Section 7 of updated article with code on Gallery nuclear physics. 

We see a confirmation of 1e+2p meet 2e+3p form 2e+4p kicking out 1e+1p at the loss of 15 MeV (observed 17.6).  

RealNucleus as Packing of Protons around Electrons

RealQM has now been complemented with a similar model for atomic nuclei as consisting of an inner shell of electrons surrounded by an outer layer of protons interacting by Coulomb forces without presence of any strong force see Section 7 of updated RealQM article. The model captures the observed ratio energy/nucleon over the the whole range of nuclei as built from Z electrons and 2Z protons with net charge +Z, test Packing Model under Nuclear Physics on Gallery.