Biological Electric Fields and Rate Equations for Biophotons

TL;DR

This paper investigates the physical mechanisms and mathematical models behind biophoton emission and delayed luminescence in biological systems, exploring their potential links to cancer and providing theoretical insights into non-exponential decay behaviors.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework for understanding biophoton emission, delayed luminescence, and nonlinear rate equations, highlighting their possible connection to cancer.

Findings

Electric fields within biological systems are estimated.

Non-exponential decay laws are common in delayed luminescence.

Possible links between biophoton dynamics and cancer are discussed.

Abstract

Ultraweak bioluminescence - the emission of biophotons - remains an experimentally well-established, but theoretically poorly understood phenomenon. This paper presents several related investigations into the physical process of both spontaneous biophoton emission and delayed luminescence. Since light intensities depend upon the modulus squared of their corresponding electric fields we first make some general estimates about the inherent electric fields within various biological systems. Since photon emission from living matter following an initial excitation ("delayed luminescence") typically does not follow a simple exponential decay law after excitation we discuss such non-exponential decays from a general theoretical perspective and argue that they are often to be expected and why. We then discuss the dynamics behind some nonlinear rate equations, connecting them both to biological growth rates and biophoton emission rates, noting a possible connection with cancer. We then return to non-exponential decay laws seen for delayed luminescence in an experimental context and again note a possible connection with cancer.