DEF: The Physical Basis of Electromagnetic Propulsion

TL;DR

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for electromagnetic propulsion based on the physical vacuum, analyzing how nonlocal electromagnetic interactions can generate propulsive forces, with potential engineering applications.

Contribution

It introduces a general mechanism for electromagnetic propulsion utilizing the physical vacuum and nonlocal electromagnetic interactions, providing principles for prototype development.

Findings

Force depends on electromagnetic intensity and frequency

Force varies with the distance between sub-systems

Force is null when sub-systems are out-of-phase

Abstract

The very existence of the physical vacuum provides a framework to propose a general mechanism for propelling bodies through an agency of electromagnetic fields, that seat in that medium. When two sub-systems of a general closed device interact via nonlocal and retarded electromagnetic pulses, it is easily shown that they give a nonzero force, and that only tend to comply with the action-to-reaction force in the limit of instantaneous interactions. The arrangement of sub-systems provide a handy way to optimize the unbalanced EM force with the concept of impedance matching. The general properties of the differential electromagnetic force (DEF) are the following: i) it is proportional to the square of the intensity and to the angular wave frequency $\omega$; ii) to the space between the sub-systems (although in a non-linear manner); iii) it is inversely proportional to the speed of interaction; iv) when the two sub-systems are out-of-phase, DEF is null. The approach is of interest to practical engineering principles of propulsion since it offers guiding principles useful to build prototypes.