A minimum photon “rest mass” — Using Planck's constant and discontinuous electromagnetic waves

Abstract

Reasons for taking1/2h/c ² in cgs units as an equivalent in grams for the photon “rest mass” are given. Its numerical value of3.68×10 ⁻⁴⁸ g corresponds to the minimum mass equivalent energy for one half-cycle of an electromagnetic dipole field distribution, which is discontinuous. For the fluid models that are discussed, this field distribution corresponds somewhat to a hydrodynamic toroidal vortex which is stationary—if we use toroidal coordinates and assume that the ring origin has the radial velocity c, that the gauge is defined by the ring origin diameter, and that free space is represented by a two-fluid model (the fluids oppositely charged). There are mappings which can transform such toroidal entities (photons) into spherical ones. The toroidal entities are possible candidates for the role of “hidden variables.”