Zero-Point Energy Density at the Origin of the Vacuum Permittivity and Photon Propagation Time Fluctuation

TL;DR

This paper proposes a vacuum model based on zero-point fluctuations to explain vacuum permittivity and permeability, predicts measurable photon propagation time fluctuations, and tests models with finite virtual fluctuation lifetimes.

Contribution

It introduces a vacuum description avoiding volume assumptions and suggests experimental tests for virtual fluctuation models affecting photon propagation.

Findings

Calculated vacuum permittivity and permeability from zero-point fluctuations.

Estimated photon propagation time fluctuations measurable with current technology.

Some models are inconsistent with astronomical observations.

Abstract

We give a vacuum description with zero-point density for virtual fluctuations. One of the goals is to explain the origin of the vacuum permittivity and permeability and to calculate their values. In particular, we improve on existing calculations by avoiding assumptions on the volume occupied by virtual fluctuations. We propose testing of the models that assume a finite lifetime of virtual fluctuation. If during its propagation, the photon is stochastically trapped and released by virtual pairs, the propagation velocity may fluctuate. The propagation time fluctuation is estimated for several existing models. The obtained values are measurable with available technologies involving ultra-short laser pulses, and some of the models are already in conflict with the existing astronomical observations. The phase velocity is not affected significantly, which is consistent with the interferometric measurements.