The alternative to classical mass renormalization for tube-based self-force calculations
arXiv:0905.0006 · doi:10.1088/0264-9381/26/10/105009
Abstract
To date, classical mass renormalization has been invoked in all tube-based self-force calculations, thus following the method introduced in Dirac's 1938 calculation of the electromagnetic self-force for the classical radiating electron. In this paper a new tube method is described that does not rely on a mass renormalization procedure. As a result, exact self-force calculations become possible for classical radiating systems of finite size. A new derivation of the Lorentz-Dirac equation is given and the relationship between the new tube method and the classical mass renormalization procedure is explained. It is expected that a similar tube method could be used to obtain rigorous results in the gravitational self-force problem.
21 pages, 2 figures. An accompanying Mathematica notebook is available at http://124.178.231.75/sfcalc