Science, Technology and the Military

This monograph offers a new look at the electron, which was the first elementary particle to be discovered, probably one of the simplest, and possibly one of the most misunderstood. A straightforward classical model is developed that accurately reproduces the main spectroscopic features of the electron, and also its principal quantum aspects. The key to this model is the relativistically spinning sphere, which has been clamoring for recognition for the better part of a century. Although its electrical charge is point-like, the electron itself is Compton-sized, and is composed mainly of non-electromagnetic 'mechanical' matter. Due to the rigid nature of the mechanical mass, the electron scatters in a point-like manner at most energies. However, there is a narrow kilovolt energy window where Mott scattering experiments may reveal a finite size. Existing experiments are suggestive but inconclusive. The electron stands at the boundary between classical and quantum physics. This book has been written for researchers in nuclear and atomic physics, and for all scientists interested in the latest developments in fundamental particle physics.