Photon structure - light decyphering

In summary, two individuals are discussing the structure of a photon and its potential behavior in a multi-dimensional hyperspace. One individual suggests that a photon is a closed reaction that spans all of space-time, with the majority of its history occurring in a small 4-volume. The other individual wonders about the average width of the CMBR and its possible applications in measuring universal density and effects of dark matter.
  • #1
Victor
Anybody out there can give me a hand on basic photon structure.
Looking towards decyphering interstellar messages.
Thank you.
 
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  • #2
A wavetrain. Stellar visible light photon is typically few tens of a millimiter long, but billions and billions miles wide (kinda disk -shaped).
 
  • #3
This is only my opinion of what a photon is...

If we consider a multi-dimensional hyperspace (more than 4 dims, but total quantity of open & closed dimensions are not pert. to the picture) - the photon, any photon, is a closed reaction that spans all of the volume of space-time (including time). The bulk majority of the history of each photon is along a small 4-volume of space-time between the reactions start and endpoints. The potential of the existence (the strength of effect of the electromagentic force associated with it) drops off very quickly away from this volume... by the mathematical relation described by the bell curve for the typical Gaussian wave-packet--- at a given cross-section through the four-volume between interaction points. Over large "stellar" distances, the packet becomes smoothly dispersed.
The reaction doesn't dominate the space-time, obviously, because it is of a very discrete property carried along the histories in the probablitity of the amplitude defined by the packet. I don't personally believe, however, that is is only probability distribution... Like Schroedinger, I cling to the belief that it is a real but behaves like a probability. People like Wheeler hate that kind of thinking. But if the EM force carried is some kind of kink in space-time dimensions stretched out over large distances... It would still obey statistics if the reaction had to be complete only at the endpoints.
 
  • #4
Originally posted by Alexander
A wavetrain. Stellar visible light photon is
typically few tens of a millimiter long, but
billions and billions miles wide
(kinda disk -shaped).
Hmm...
I wonder what's the average "weidth" of
the CMBR and can it be used to make some
Universal density measurements as well
as possibly some Dark Matter effects ?
 

1. What is a photon?

A photon is a particle of light that carries energy and has properties of both a wave and a particle. It is the smallest unit of light and is the basic unit of all electromagnetic radiation.

2. How does light interact with matter?

Light interacts with matter through the absorption, reflection, and transmission of photons. When light hits an object, the photons may be absorbed, causing the object to heat up, or reflected, causing the object to appear a certain color. Light can also pass through some materials, such as glass, without being absorbed or reflected.

3. What is the structure of a photon?

A photon is a fundamental particle that has zero mass and travels at the speed of light. It is made up of a combination of electric and magnetic fields that oscillate perpendicular to each other, creating a wave-like motion.

4. How is light deciphered or decoded?

The process of deciphering or decoding light involves analyzing the properties of the photons, such as their wavelength, frequency, and polarization. These properties can provide information about the source of the light, the material it is interacting with, and its path through space.

5. What are the practical applications of studying photon structure?

Studying the structure of photons is crucial for a variety of fields, including telecommunications, medical imaging, and solar energy. Understanding how light interacts with matter at the photon level can also lead to advances in quantum computing and cryptography.

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