Relativistic Quantum Hydrodynamic Calculation of the Total Energy

of Free Particles and Photons in the Ground State

Halil Gveni, Istanbul

E-mail: guevenis@rocketmail.com

Abstract

In the present paper we solve the relativistic quantum hydrodynamic fundamental equa-
tions for free particles and photons in the ground state. We obtain as solution spherical
harmonics and spherical Bessel functions. According to our model conception, the def-
inition domain of the ground state 0 r ro consists of two intervals: We put the free
photons in the ground state 1. into the density distribution of a free particle in the in-
terval a ro r ro and 2. as a bound photon wave in the interval 0 r a ro and
calculate thereby the corresponding Casimir energies using the Euler-MacLaurin sum
formula. Under the condition of the hydrodynamic equilibrium between the attractive
and repulsive Casimir forces, we deduce the total energy (= the photon energy) of the
free particle and the bound photon wave. Numerical calculations for the neutron indi-
cate that the novel model conception of two intervals in one and the same ground state
is overall a consistent relativistic quantum hydrodynamic description.

Key words: Fundamental equations of relativistic quantum hydrodynamics, free parti-

cles and photons, Casimir energy, total energy of a particle and a bound photon wave.

1
1. Introduction

In a previous work, we solved the relativistic quantum hydrodynamic fundamental

equations [1] in the simplest case for free and bound photons [2]. In the present work,
we would like to go a step further and perform a relativistic quantum hydrodynamic
calculation for the total energy of free particles and photons in the ground state. For
this purpose, we start with the novel model conception that the definition domain of
the ground state 0 r ro consists of two intervals: In the first interval a ro r ro
the free particle is bound by an attractive Casimir force to the vacuum; in the second
interval 0 r a ro a photon wave is located, surrounded by the free particle and
enclosed photons, in the interval a ro r ro , and possess therefore an additional
binding energy photon energy against the vacuum.

In the present work, we carry out a relativistic quantum hydrodynamic calculation for
the double binding energy of free particles and photons and discuss the stability condi-
tions for the total energy of a free particle and a bound photon wave. For this purpose,
we solve the relativistic-quantum-hydrodynamic fundamental equations in section 2
for free particles and in section 3 for free photons. In section 4, the total energies for
the intervals a ro r ro and 0 r a ro are derived, and then in section 5, the
corresponding Casimir energies are calculated. In Section 6, we calculate the total en-
ergy of a free particle and a bound photon wave. In Section 7, the total energy of the
neutron is calculated. Section 8 is provided for summary and conclusions.

2. Solution for free particles

The fundamental equations of relativistic quantum hydrodynamics (RQH) are given by

the hydrodynamic formulation of the Dirac equation [1]:

( )
+ .((p (e/c) A)) = 0, (1)

(E e)2 = m02 c4 + (p (e/c) A)2 c2 ec B 2c2 , (2)

( ( / ) ) . dr 2 m, m 0, 1, 2, (3)
2
where are
c the constant vacuum speed of light,
the reduced Planck constant,
e the elementary charge,
the 2x2 Pauli matrices,
m0 the naked mass,
p the particle momentum,
the probability density (= mass distribution density),
E the energy,
, A the electromagnetic field variables,
B=xA.

Eq. (1) is the equation of continuity of the RQH, Eq. (2) the equation of motion, and
Eq. (3) a quantization rule for the angular momentum going back to Bohr-Sommerfeld-
Wilson.

For potential-free particles ( = 0, A = 0, B = 0), the fundamental equations (1)-(3)

are reduced to the relations

+ .(p) = 0, (4)

E2 = m02 c4 + p2 c2 2c2 , (5)

.
dr 2 m , m 0, 1, 2, (6)

The equation of motion (5) corresponds to the hydrodynamic formulation of the Klein-
Gordon equation and provides therefore only such solutions that are equivalent to the
solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation. However, corresponding to the quantum hy-
drodynamic application the probability density has at the same time the meaning of
a mass distribution density.

3
Since in this study we are interested only in stationary solutions and the probability
density must fulfill the boundary condition (ro) = 0 , the equation of continuity
(4) gives

.(p) = 0, pr (r) = 0 . (7)

Since, furthermore, the particle momentum can only flow in closed lines and because
of the azimuthal symmetry of the system, the momentum field in spherical coordinates
is independent of the angle :

p
( )
e m m 0, 1, 2, (8)

Eq. (8) is in accordance with the quantization rule (6):

.
dr
( )
e dr m 2 m . (9)

Substituting Eq. (9) into the equation of motion (5) gives

E2 = m02 c4 + ( )2 2c2 . (10)
( )

If we assume

= f(r) g( , ) , (11)

Eq. (10) can be separated into two differential equations with respect to r and
( = separation parameter) [3]:

( )[ (r2 ) + (E2 m02 c4) ]= (12)

and

= [ ( )
(sin( ) )
( )
g]. (13)
4
Solutions of the differential equation (13) are the spherical harmonics

( | |)! ( )
g( , ) = (-1)m eim ( ( )1)l, (14)
( | |)! ! ( ( ))

where the constants and m have the eigenvalues

= l (l +1), l 0, 1, 2, (15)
and
lm +l . (16)

Eq. (12) with (15) leads to Bessels differential equation whose normalizable solutions
are given by the spherical Bessel functions [4]:

( )
fl( r) = c ( r )l ) (
[ ], (17)
(( ))

where

2= ( )2 =

(18)

applies.

Substituting l = 0, m = 0 into (15) and (16), we obtain from (14) and (17) the eigen-
functions of free particles in the ground state:

goo (, ) = (19)

and
( )
f ( r) = co

. (20)

Thus, we obtain from (20) for the radial density of free particles in the ground state
(Fig. 1):

( ) 2
f 2(x) = co2 x2 [ ], mit x = r . (21)
5
 ( ) ( )
Figure 1: y = = x2 [ ]2

Zero points of the density distribution (21) are

xo = n , n 1, 2, (22)

According to our model conception, we assume that the total density distribution of a
single free particle in the ground state (n = 1) is located in the interval

a r o r ro , a x , (23)

where 0 a 1 is a constant to be determined.

Performing the integral in the equation

( )
1 = c12 ( )[ ] d d dr

we obtain for the interval a ro r ro the normalization constant

( )
c12 = . (24)
( )

6
3. Solution for free photons

Going over from free particles to free photons, we must reduce the reduced relativistic
quantum hydrodynamic fundamental equations (4)-(6) once again, so that no particle
mass and no particle momentum are present (m0 = 0, p = 0):

0 0
= 0 , (25)

E02 = 2c2 (26)

Substituting l = 0, m = 0 into (15) and (16), we obtain from (14) and (17) the eigen-
functions of free photons in the ground state:

goo (, ) = (27)

and
( )
f (k r) = co . (28)

where
E02 = 2c2k2 (29)
applies.

According to our model conception, free photons are enclosed as in a box with infinite
potential walls in the density distribution of the free particle, i.e. in the interval
a ro r ro with the boundary condition (ro) = 0 . Furthermore, free photons are
enclosed as a bound photon wave in the interval 0 r a ro with the boundary con-
dition o (a ro) = 0 , so that performing the integral in the equation

( )
1 = c22 ( )[ ] d d dr

7
we obtain the normalization constant

( )
c22 = . (30)
( )

4. Derivation of the total energy equations

Since we have put the density distribution of free photons in the density distribution of
the free particle in the interval a ro r ro , the radial density distribution amplitudes
must also be coupled together:

fc = f0 f . (31)

Substituting (31) into the energy equation (12) yields

( )
= + 2c2 (r2 ). (32)

Evaluation of (32) gives ( = )

( )
E2 = m02 c4 + 2c2 [ +2 ( )( )] . (33)

If we calculate the unknown quantities ( ), ( ), ( ) occurring in (33) according to

(20) and (28), we obtain

= + cot( r) , (34)

= + k cot(k r) , (35)

( )
= . (36)

8
Substituting (34)-(36) into (33) we get the total energy equation for the free particle
and the enclosed photons in the interval a ro r ro :

( ) ( )
= + + 2c2 [ (37)
( )
+ 2 k cot(k r) cot( r)] 2 c2 .

***

We obtain the total energy equation for the interval 0 r a ro by equality of the
density distribution of free photons and the bound photon wave:

f = fo . (38)

If we calculate the unknown quantities ( ), ( ), ( ) according to (28), we obtain

= + k cot(k r) , (39)

= + k cot(k r) , (40)

( )
= . (41)

Substituting (39) - (41) into (33) the total energy equation of free photons and the bound
photon wave in the interval 0 r a ro yields:

( )
= 2c2 [ + 2 (k r)] 2 c2 . (42)

9
5. The Casimir energies

Since in Eq. (37) the term 2 c2 fc / fc describes the derivation of the total energy
eigenvalues from the radial wave function fc and mathematically assigns an identically
large wave amplitude to the foregoing forms of energy, this term can be ignored by
calculating the total energy. We further reorganize Eq. (37) so that the total energy of
the free particle and enclosed photons are placed on two different sides of the equation
separated from each other:

2 2 4 ( )
1 0 (43)

4 ( ) 4 ( )
= c + 2 ( ) ( )

The total energy of the free particle and enclosed photons must now interact at the point
o (ro) = 0 with free photons in vacuum and give, by means of summation, the Casimir
energy of the free particle. For this purpose we proceed as in the famous work of Cas-
imir [5] and carry out the summation over the quantum number n0 using the Euler-
MacLaurin sum formula:

(r) = c ( 0= ( 0) ( ) ) (44)

= c [ F(0) F(0) + F(0) ] ,

where according to (43)

4 ( ) 4 ( )
F1(x)= ( ) + 2 ( ) ( ) (45)

with x = no , k = (46)

holds.

10
Eq. (45) gives

2 ( )
F1 (0) = . (47)

Formation of derivatives F1 (x), F1 (x) (see Appendix 1) and examination of the

limit x 0 yield

F1 (0) = 0 (48)
and
F1 (0) = 0 . (49)

Hence, we obtain in the interval a ro r ro according to (44) with (47)-(49) the

Casimir energy for a single particle:

2 ( )
(r) = c . (50)

***

To determine the Casimir energy in the interval 0 r a ro we reorganize Eq. (42) so

that the total energy of free photons and the bound photon wave are placed on two
different sides of the equation separated from each other:

( )
= c + 2 ( ) (51)

We obtain

( )
F2 (x) = ( ) + 2( ) ( ) (52)

with x = no , k = . (53)

11
Eq. (52) gives

F2 (0) = 0 . (54)

Formation of derivatives F2 (x), F2 (x) (see Appendix 2) and examination of the

limit x 0 yield

F2 (0) = i k (55)
and
F2 (0) = 0 . (56)

Hence, we obtain in the interval 0 r a ro according to (44) with (54)-(56) the

Casimir energy for the bound photon wave:

2
(r) = ( c k)2 . (57)

6. The total energy of the free particle and the bound photon wave

Substituting the Casimir energy (50) into the total energy equation (37) we obtain for
the free particle in the ground state

( ) ( )
= + + 2 c 2 ( ). (58)

In order to determine the total energy of a free particle in the ground state, we must
calculate the mean values in Eq. (58) with the help of the probability density:

( )
< >= + 2c2 < >. (59)

12
The mean value in Eq. (59) can be determined by the integral

( ) ( ) ( )
< > = c12 ( )[ ][ ] d d dr

( ) ( ( ) ( ) ( ))
= , (60)
( )

( )
where the function Si(z) = is the so-called sine integral.

Substituting (60) into (59) yields

( ) ( ( ) ( ) ( ))
= + 2c2 . (61)
( )

Reorganizing Eq. (61) we obtain

2(
(2 )+ (2 ) +2 )
( + )( ) = ( ) (62)
0 2 2 +sin(2 )

Eq. (62) is quadratic in . But it can be split into two independent energy equations:

2(
(2 )+ (2 ) +2 )
= c2 = (63)
0 2 2 +sin(2 )

and
2(
(2 )+ (2 ) +2 )
= . (64)
0 2 2 +sin(2 )

Eq. (63) gives in the interval a ro r ro the mass energy of the free particle in the
ground state, where m0 c2 is the naked, non-measurable mass energy and = c2 the
effective, measured mass energy. On the other hand, Eq. 64 gives the photon energy
in the interval a ro r ro , where at the point r = a ro on the lower spherical surface
of the interval a ro r ro the Casimir force

= (65)

13
is exerted. This attractive force is opposed in the interval 0 r a ro by the repulsive
Casimir force

( )
= = . (66)

The free particle and the bound photon wave are in the hydrodynamic equilibrium when
these two forces balance each other:

= . (67)

Hence, Eqs. (64) and (66) give the total energy (= the photon energy) of the free particle
and of the bound photon wave

( ) ( ) ( )
=1+ ( )
+ (68)

with b = . (69)

Hence, the attractive and the repulsive Casimir forces keep each other in balance
(Fig. 2). The equilibrium state is given independently of the parameter b by the lowest
point of the potential well. Numerical calculation gives:

x = a = 0.534082 . (70)

14
 ( ) ( ) ( )
Figure 2: y = =1+ ( )
+ , =1

Substituing (70) into (68) and considering the total energy (= photon energy) of the free
particle and the bound photon wave as a function of the parameter b, we obtain the
curve shown in Fig. 3:

Figure 3: The total energy as a function of the parameter b

The total energy thus goes for very large b values against , which is a good agree-
ment with the experiment and represents the transition to classical physics. For very
small b values, however, the total energy diverges and must be corrected. In order to
obtain a criterion for the lower limit of the b values, we consider the mass energy (63)
in the interval a ro r ro as a function of parameter b (Fig. 4):

15
Figure 4: The mass energy = as a function of the parameter b

For b 1.6529 and 2.29656 , the mass energy = in the interval

a ro r ro becomes negative, which does not occur in reality and therefore must be

excluded. Hence, with b = 1.6529 , we obtain a lower limit for the total energy ,

which may not exceed the value 2.29656 .

7. The total energy of the neutron

We now arrive at the calculation of the total energy of a specific free particle, namely
of the neutron. Although the free neutron is an unstable particle and results from elec-
tron-proton interaction, we now assume for the purpose of demonstration of the total
energy that it is nevertheless a stable, free particle. The effective, measured mass of the
neutron is

= 939.565 MeV / c2 . (71)

We assume that this mass is spherically distributed and has the experimentally esti-
mated radius

= 0.85 fm . (72)

16
With c = 197.33 MeV fm , we obtain from (69)

.
bN = = 0.004308 x , (73)
.

where = x MeV / c2 is the unknown, naked mass of the neutron.

Thus, the mass energy equation (63) gives

. .
=1 , x = 1490.634 , (74)

i.e. the naked mass of the neutron is 1490.634 MeV / c2 and has the binding energy
- 551.069 MeV against the vacuum. The parameter b can be calculated according to
(69):

. .
bN = = 6.4209 . (75)
.

With bN we get from (68) for the total energy (= photon energy) of the neutron:

= 1 + 0.3697 + 0.07634 = 1.44604 ,

E = (1490.634 + 551.069 + 113.795) MeV = 2155.516 MeV , (76)

i.e., if we apply the binding energy 551.069 MeV, we get not only the naked mass of
1490.634 MeV / c2 free but also the photon energy of 113.795 MeV which is hidden in
the interval 0 r a ro .

***

In order to make an obligatory statement about the stability of the neutron, we now
calculate for the radial mass distribution the squared deviation from the mean value at
the point a ro = 0.534082x0.85 fm :

17
 < (r < r >)2 > = < r2 < r >2 >
( )
= c12 ( ) [ ] d d dr (77)

( )
( c12 ( ) [ ] d d dr)2

= 0.45712 ro2 (0.66937 ro)2 = (0.095 ro)2 ,

i.e., the center of gravity of the neutron mass which is distributed in the interval
0.534082x0.85 fm r 0.85 fm is located at the point rc = 0.66937x0.85 fm . This value
can deviate from the statistical mean value only by 0.095x0.85 fm . This means that even
the mass parts at the location 0.534082x0.85 fm have the possibility to approach the
mass center only by 0.095x0.85 fm , which indicates a very good stability of the neutron.
If the mass distribution at the point 0.534082x0.85 fm would have the possibility to
approach the mass center by 0.534082x0.85 fm , a collision of the directly opposite
mass parts of the neutron would be unavoidable and the particle would be unstable.
Thus, the stability of the particles is guaranteed by the bound photon wave in the inter-
val 0 r 0.534082x0.85 fm which separates the directly opposite mass parts from
one another and holds them all at an allowable distance to each other.

8. Summary and conclusions

In the present work, we have solved the relativistic-quantum-hydrodynamic fundamen-

tal equations for free particles and photons in the ground state and determined their
total energy in the interval 0 r ro . Solutions of the RQH for free particles and
photons are spherical harmonics and spherical Bessel functions. According to our novel
model conception, we have put the free photons in the ground state 1. into the density
distribution of the free particle in the interval a ro r ro and 2. as a bound photon
wave in the interval 0 r a ro . Hereafter, we have calculated the Casimir energy for
free particles and photons in the two intervals a ro r ro and 0 r a ro using the
Euler-McLaurin sum formula. Subsequently we determined the mass energy and the
photon energy of the free particle in the interval a ro r ro as a consequence of the

18
quadratic energy equation. From this, under the condition of the hydrodynamic equi-
librium, we deduced the total energy (= the photon energy) of the free particle and the
bound photon wave. Numerical calculations showed that the novel model conception
of two intervals in one and the same ground state is overall a consistent quantum-hy-
drodynamic description.

***

The relativistic-quantum-hydrodynamic calculation of the total energy of free particles

and photons in the ground state forces us to change our classical concept of "free par-
ticles and photons": at first sight the term "binding energy of free particles and photons"
seems to be contradictory because free particles and photons must by definition be po-
tential-free and therefore cannot have a binding state. We have seen, however, that free
particles and photons can principally not be isolated from the vacuum and are therefore
bound to the vacuum with a certain binding energy Casimir energy. Furthermore, the
bound photon wave in the interval 0 r a ro is enclosed by "free particles and
photons" in the interval a ro r ro and therefore possess an additional binding energy
photon energy against the vacuum. This double binding energy state forces us to
abandon our classical notion of "free particles and photons" and to replace them with
the inevitable double binding to the vacuum.

References

[1] H. Gveni, The General Science Journal, (2014),

http://gsjournal.net/Science-Journals/Essays/View/5338
[2] H. Gveni, The General Science Journal, (2016),
http://gsjournal.net/Science-Journals/Essays/View/6459
[3] H. E. Wilhelm, Phys. Rev. D1, 2278, (1970).
[4] Abramowitz, M. and Stegun, I. A. (Eds.), New York: Dover, p. 437, 1972.
[5] H. B. G. Casimir, Proc. K. Ned. Akad. Wet. 51, 793 (1948).

19
Appendix 1

The Derivatives F1 (x) and F1 (x)

20
Appendix 2

The Derivatives F2 (x) and F2 (x)

21