Statistical electrodynamics

Abstract The random pure radiation field postulated in an earlier paper is set up in a relativistically invariant manner. The requirement that this field be isotropic in three dimensions makes much of the formalism identical with the theory of isotropic turbulence, as has been noted by a previous author. It is found, however, that the more stringent requirement of invariance under the Lorentz group, together with the fact that the field components satisfy Maxwell's equations, mean that, to within a multiplicative constant, the entire random process is uniquely specified. In accordance with results obtained previously, the constant is effectively identified as Planck's constant. There then results a striking resemblance between the formalism of the present theory, and that of the quantized pure radiation field, with random variables taking the place of operators, and correlations between these random variables taking the place of commutator brackets. The infinite field energy, which arises also in quantum field theory, where, however, it is usually considered to be purely formal, remains a central difficulty of the random theory. It can be shown to be a natural consequence of assuming Maxwell's equations, and it therefore becomes necessary to consider non-linear modifications of these. The connexion between the present results and the inconsistencies of classical and quantum electrodynamics is discussed. Also some new information is obtained concerning the behaviour of thermodynamic quantities under a Lorentz transformation.