NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
General Discussion => New Physics for Space Technology => Topic started by: tleach on 10/16/2016 06:34 pm
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This idea is a spin off from the EM Drive forum and is an extension of my limited understanding of the superfluid vacuum theory and the polarizable quantum vacuum. What does this have to do with spaceflight? If we are better able understand the "Luminiferous aether," then the more likely it is that we'll be able to efficiently manipulate that aether to our own ends.
Here's the idea in a nutshell:
What if the universe isn’t analogous to a single spinning superfluid, but rather a multi-superfluid composite made up of 4 distinct superfluids? What if the fundamental particles of our standard model can be thought of as quantized vortices of these various superfluids within a larger, composite superfluid mixture?
If this is the case, then each of the superfluids would have it's own quantized vortices. And, at least according to this article (http://physics.aps.org/synopsis-for/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.145301), those vortices should be able to interact with each other in a zero-viscocity system, transferring angular momentum between them. That would establish a theoretical basis for fundamental quantum particles and interactions between those particles/vortices.
If the particle/antiparticle pairs are simply counter rotating vortices, then they would cancel each other out when they combine, transferring the sum of their energy into other nearby vortices via force carrier particles. The prevalence of matter over antimatter could be explained by the direction of spin of the composite superfluid spacetime universe (CSSU), since the prevailing spin direction would be what is generating the majority of particles/vortices to begin with.
The fact that each of the fundamental particle pairs can be created out of the quantum vacuum (Dirac Sea) by applying enough energy might be another easily explained consequence of the CSSU theory. The energy required for pair production should be analogous to the lambda point of the superfluid the particles/vortices are made from. Different superfluid components, each having their own lambda point, result in different, discreet energy requirements for the creation of each type of particle/antiparticle pair.
In the CSSU, the Big Bang’s Planck Epoch (zero to approximately 10-43seconds) would be analogous to the transition temperature and condensation of the first of the superfluids. As the precursor state cools and condenses and the first superfluid comes into existence, a spin direction (carried over and enhanced from the precursor state) is imparted to the CSSU. The imparting of spin and resulting creation of the first vortices marks the beginning of the so called Grand Unification Epoch (10–43 seconds to 10–36 seconds). A second superfluid transition/condensation event correlates to the Inflationary Epoch (10–36 seconds to 10–32), third to the Electro Weak Epoch (10–32 seconds to 10–12) and a forth to the Quark Epoch10–12 seconds to 10–6). With each condensation event, more total spin is imparted to the CSSU and more particles/vortices are come into existence.
The end result of this rapid sequential condensation of the 4 superfluids is the creation of a composite superfluid mixture containing a large number of interacting particles/vortices.
Thoughts?
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It is an open question of how there is more matter than anti-matter in the universe. When we make particles it appears to come in pairs of matter and anti-matter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_decay
Though proton decay is believed to possibly happen and if it did it would decay from proton->pion + positron . protons appear to be ridiculously stable and have never been observed to decay so my thought was this.
What if in the early universe lots of energy was present and it stirred up the creation of electron and positron pairs but also the creation of the pions. The pions combine with positrons and fall into a lower energy state and become stable and we have our missing anti-matter. It is possible I don't know enough about the delima as I feel I don't know enough about particle physics as I would like but it seemed a reasonable guess from what I felt I knew.
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"In a superfluid, a quantum vortex is a hole with the superfluid circulating around the vortex axis; the inside of the vortex may contain excited particles, air, vacuum, etc. The thickness of the vortex depends on a variety of factors; in liquid helium, the thickness is of the order of a few Angstroms."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_vortex
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_vortex)
"when superfluid helium is rotated–in a little spinning bucket, say–the rotation produces quantum vortices, swirls that are regularly spaced throughout the liquid."
http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2014/08/21/researchers-map-quantum-vortices-inside-superfluid-helium-nanodroplets/ (http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2014/08/21/researchers-map-quantum-vortices-inside-superfluid-helium-nanodroplets/)
What I'm suggesting is that in the "CSSU" theory, the universe is spinning. The spin is either carried over from some precursor state, or is created during condensation of the various superfluids composing the quantum vacuum as they pass through their respective transition temperatures.
It is that spin that creates the quantum vortices. We see these quantum vortices as elementary particles. If a universe spins, then the majority of quantum vortices within that universe would all spin in the same direction as each other. Any vortices spinning in the opposing direction, we would perceive as an antiparticle, and it would annihilate any counter rotating vortex composed of of the same superfluid medium.
I also understand that pair creation results in matter/antimatter pairs. What I'm suggesting is that, when we pump enough energy into one of the (4?) superfluids to heat it to its lambda point, that superfluid undergoes a kind of phase transition and two counter rotating vortices come into existence. We perceive these vortices as a matter/antimatter pair.
I'm not far enough along go get into how proton decay would work in this theory... Sorry.
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It is an open question of how there is more matter than anti-matter in the universe. When we make particles it appears to come in pairs of matter and anti-matter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_decay
Though proton decay is believed to possibly happen and if it did it would decay from proton->pion + positron . protons appear to be ridiculously stable and have never been observed to decay so my thought was this.
What if in the early universe lots of energy was present and it stirred up the creation of electron and positron pairs but also the creation of the pions. The pions combine with positrons and fall into a lower energy state and become stable and we have our missing anti-matter.
Pions would equally well combine with electrons and thus create antiprotons. You can't get imbalance this way.
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It is an open question of how there is more matter than anti-matter in the universe. When we make particles it appears to come in pairs of matter and anti-matter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_decay
Though proton decay is believed to possibly happen and if it did it would decay from proton->pion + positron . protons appear to be ridiculously stable and have never been observed to decay so my thought was this.
What if in the early universe lots of energy was present and it stirred up the creation of electron and positron pairs but also the creation of the pions. The pions combine with positrons and fall into a lower energy state and become stable and we have our missing anti-matter.
Pions would equally well combine with electrons and thus create antiprotons. You can't get imbalance this way.
Right. Except they didn't so if only the positrons combined then there must have been some reason. That or its a false hypothesis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKOlfR5OcB4
Here is a nice video on Superfluid Helium and its two states. I find it fascinating it appears to exist in both states at the same time just like in quantum mechanics. The viscosity behavior really reminds me of frame dragging if we think of the vacuum as behaving like a Superfluid. Wondering if e/m waves are like transverse waves and gravity waves are longitudinal? http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-1/Categories-of-Waves Will have to think about it. Maybe static gravity being longitudinal polarization of the vacuum pairs and light being transverse polarization of the pairs.
The quantum vertices are tempting to relate to particles that have spin. Maybe it is a process of space time spinning around it instead of the particle spinning.
It sounds like tleach is suggesting some type of superfluid that exists in a quantum state of 4 types simultaneously or can go through a transition of 4 types of lambda points. I believe this isn't the first time I have heard this hypothesized and I am sure I have seen papers that suggest the vacuum as a type of superfluid. It is tempting to look at it that way.
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This seems relevant to the discussion also.
Quantum fluids of light by I Carusotto, C Ciuti 2013 (https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=13484852301677249982&hl=en&as_sdt=400005&sciodt=0,14&as_ylo=2008)
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Also relevant to this discussion:
Here we observe the emergence of a turbulent cascade in a weakly interacting homogeneous Bose gas—a quantum fluid that can be theoretically described on all relevant length scales. We prepare a Bose–Einstein condensate in an optical box, drive it out of equilibrium with an oscillating force that pumps energy into the system at the largest length scale, study its nonlinear response to the periodic drive, and observe a gradual development of a cascade characterized by an isotropic power-law distribution in momentum space.
~http://phys.org/news/2016-11-turbulence-bose-einstein-condensate-yields-cascade.html#jCp (http://phys.org/news/2016-11-turbulence-bose-einstein-condensate-yields-cascade.html#jCp)
Our experiments establish the uniform Bose gas as a promising new medium for investigating many aspects of turbulence, including the interplay between vortex and wave turbulence, and the relative importance of quantum and classical effects.
~http://phys.org/news/2016-11-turbulence-bose-einstein-condensate-yields-cascade.html#jCp (http://phys.org/news/2016-11-turbulence-bose-einstein-condensate-yields-cascade.html#jCp)
The more I think about this concept, the more I like it... Even if spacetime isn't ACTUALLY a mixture of several Superfluids or BECs could prove to be an excellent analogy. Just add energy (rotational or oscillatory) and create waves and vortices that are analogous to the particles and fields that we observe. As the energy slowly dissipates, the waves and vortices lower their frequency until the Superfluid or BEC universe experiences heat heath.
Any ideas for thought experiments? Or real experiments for that matter?