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arXiv:1604.03449physics.gen-ph

Testing quantised inertia on the emdrive

M. E. McCulloch

Abstract

It has been shown that truncated cone-shaped cavities with microwaves resonating within them move slightly towards their narrow ends (the emdrive). Standard physics has no explanation for this and an error has not yet been found. It is shown here that this effect can be predicted by assuming that the inertial mass of the photons in the cavity is caused by Unruh radiation, whose wavelengths must fit exactly within the cavity, using a theory already applied successfully to astrophysical anomalies such as galaxy rotation where the Unruh waves have to fit within the Hubble scale. In the emdrive this means that more Unruh waves are allowed at the wide end, leading to a greater inertial mass for the photons there, and to conserve momentum the cavity must move towards its narrow end, as observed. The model predicts thrusts of: 3.8, 149, 7.3, 0.23, 0.57, 0.11, 0.64 and 0.02 mN compared with the observed thrusts of: 16, 147, 9, 0.09, 0.05, 0.06, 0.03, and 0.02 mN and predicts that if the axial length is equal to the diameter of the small end of the cavity, the thrust should be reversed.

arXiv comments
9 pages, 1 figure
Journal reference
EPL, 111, 60005, 2015
DOI
doi:10.1209/0295-5075/111/60005
Subjects
physics.gen-phGeneral Physics

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Linked by 2 identifiable commenters in 5 comments across 5 threads, from Jun 2016 to Aug 2017. Found in 3 HN submissions from Apr 2016 to Aug 2020. Open submission discussions.

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Discussed in comments5 threads

    • Yes I concur. I thought about admitting that i'm only referencing the author's blog posts was a bit "narrow", but it's also probably the best source for authoritative information on the subject. Literally "from the horses mouth". There are the arxiv papers and some other reports…

      rb1View on HNParent context

    • This paper that investigates how the EM propulsion drives might generate thrust, and as a side effect, the theory explains certain phenomena that we attribute to dark matter and dark energy. i only have undergrad physics degree, but it sounds interesting. anyone with more…

      officialjunkView on HNParent context

    • came across this paper that investigates how the EM propulsion drives might generate thrust, and as a side effect, the theory explains certain phenomena that we attribute to dark matter and dark energy. i only have undergrad physics degree, but it sounds interesting. anyone with…

      officialjunkView on HNParent context

    • came across this paper that investigates how the EM propulsion drives might generate thrust, and as a side effect, the theory explains certain phenomena that we attribute to dark matter and dark energy. i only have undergrad physics degree, but it sounds interesting. anyone with…

      officialjunkView on HNParent context

    • one of the proposed physics theories on how the EM Drive works actually rids us of the need to even have dark matter/energy as a concept. of course it had yet to be proven/accepted, and may in fact be disproven at some point. http://arxiv.org/pdf/1604.03449v1.pdf

      officialjunkView on HNParent context

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