Explanation of the Tao effect

TL;DR

This paper explains the Tao effect, where superconducting microparticles form macroscopic balls under electrostatic fields, using an alternative electrodynamic theory of superconductivity.

Contribution

It introduces a novel electrodynamic framework to explain the Tao effect, which is not accounted for by conventional superconductivity theories.

Findings

The Tao effect can be explained by the new electrodynamic theory.

Proposed experiments to test the alternative theory.

Provides a potential explanation for macroscopic aggregation in superconductors.

Abstract

In a series of experiments Tao and coworkers\cite{tao1,tao2,tao3} found that superconducting microparticles in the presence of a strong electrostatic field aggregate into balls of macroscopic dimensions. No explanation of this phenomenon exists within the conventional theory of superconductivity. We show that this effect can be understood within an alternative electrodynamic description of superconductors recently proposed that follows from an unconventional theory of superconductivity. Experiments to test the theory are discussed.