Antimatter in the Direct-Action Theory of Fields

TL;DR

This paper explores how the direct-action theory of fields can interpret negative energy solutions as antimatter without relying on the Feynman propagator, challenging traditional quantum field theory views.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the Feynman propagator is not essential for interpreting negative energies as antimatter within the direct-action framework.

Findings

Negative energy solutions can be interpreted as antimatter without the Feynman propagator.

The direct-action theory offers an alternative perspective to standard quantum field theory.

The interpretation of antimatter is retained in the absence of virtual particle descriptions.

Abstract

One of Feynman's greatest contributions to physics was the interpretation of negative energies as antimatter in quantum field theory. A key component of this interpretation is the Feynman propagator, which seeks to describe the behavior of antimatter at the virtual particle level. Ironically, it turns out that one can dispense with the Feynman propagator in a direct-action theory of fields, while still retaining the interpretation of negative energy solutions as antiparticles.