The self-energy of the electron: a quintessential problem in the development of QED

dc.creatorBovy, Jo
dc.date2006-08-10
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T07:25:45Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T07:25:45Z
dc.descriptionThe development of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) is sketched from its earliest beginnings until the formulations of 1949, using the example of the divergent self-energy of the electron as a quintessential problem of the 1930's-40's. The lack of progress towards solving this problem led researchers to believe that after the conceptual revolution of quantum mechanics a new conceptual change was needed. It took a war and a new generation of algorithmically inclined physicists to pursue the conventional route of regularization and renormalization that led to the solution in 1947-1949. Some remarks on contemporary high energy physics are made.
dc.description19 pages, 4 figures; Submitted to Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0608108
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0608108
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/116829
dc.subjectHistory and Philosophy of Physics
dc.titleThe self-energy of the electron: a quintessential problem in the development of QED
dc.typetext

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