Control of the Higgs Field and the Production of Exotic Matter

[Dominatus]

Control of the Higgs Field and the Production of Exotic Matter

Is it possible to manipulate the Higgs Field in order to obtain exotic matter (negative mass variety)?

Would this exotic matter be applicable to the exotic matter called for in the Alcubierre Warp Metric?

The Higgs Field is accredited for giving objects mass. If this field could be controlled (similar to the way electromagnetic fields are controlled and harnessed) than in theory the mass of objects can be altered.

Due the probably massive energy requirements for producing negative mass matter, it is more economical to use this on small amounts of matter conversion.

The amount of exotic matter produced should meet the minimum exotic matter requirement set by the revised Alcubierre Warp Metric. In theory, the production of this exotic matter is enough to allow the Alcubierre Drive to function. This works in principle, but there has been no opportunity to test this in practice. Currently unknown questions are as follows:

• Can the Higgs Field be controlled, and if so then how?

• Can it be used to lower the mass of an object into the negative values?

• Can it be used to change the mass of anything?

Once these questions have been answered, further research can proceed.

Intellectual property rights of D. J. R.

January 6, 2015

Everyone, these are some points I have recently been considering. I would appreciate an explanation on the feasibility of such a thing, along with the posed points answered. Fingers crossed, if it all works out I may have the basis for a masters thesis to use in college. Thanks.

[Dominatus]

Any information on whether or not this basic idea is appreciated. Senior year and the public education system hasn't managed to cover quantum mechanics, theoretical physics or anything remotely related to the Higgs-Boson or Alcubierre Warp Metic.

[UnstableOrbit]

Hmm, I have been thinking about Higgs Field manipulation too, and I do believe that if we found out WHAT causes the higgs field to interact more with some particles than others, it could give us a way to control it. As of now, I do not think so though. Using the Higgs Field to generate exotic matter is an interesting idea though, but I feel as if there might be a barrier of sort at zero mass, sort of how there is a barrier at C. I cannot prove that, its only a gut feeling(so you should probably disregard it).

[Dominatus]

Ordinarily I would; however, the Alcubierre Warp Metric works in principle, exotic matter being the limiting factor in the design. The Alcubierre Drive is also the most promising possibility for FTL travel I have heard about. As a result, I believe we cannot dismiss what doesn't yet seem possible and conduct the research to find out for sure. Hypothetically speaking, an object with negative mass isn't so hard to believe. There are singularities with what some consider to be infinite mass and density. If these numbers can be infinite (we see infinity all the time in the universe) then why not negative values as well? Doesn't infinity stretch in both directions along the number line?

As I am going into college next year I lack the education background to fully understand this topic, so if my reasoning is wrong I beg someone with the correct expertise to jump in and educate me.

Also, I had a friend looking into this IRL. Assuming a better understanding of the Higgs field than we currently have, he came across a very interesting idea that sounded similar to a paradox. Next time I speak with him I will have a more detailed explanation, but suffice to say it is a fascinating concept.

- - - Updated - - -

Ahem... I won't be able to communicate the discussion I had on this for several hours.. Please keep contributing. It seems as though this may be an original application for Higgs field manipulation.

[K^2]

Higgs field has almost nothing to do with mass, same as any other field. The only particles that gain mass due to Higgs are electroweak gauge bosons. For everything else, Higgs interraction is a tiny contribution to total mass, and it's always positive.

[Dominatus]

I take it that the type of exotic matter required for the Alcubierre warp drive can't be obtained via Higgs field manipulation, than? Are there any hypothesis for how this type of exotic matter can be obtained, then? Or perhaps a even more promising FTL proposition? (I am aware that the Alcubierre drive is technically not FTL, but in principle it allows for FTL travel thanks to the warp bubble)

[How2FoldSoup]

K^2

I was speaking with my prof during this last semester and I was asking him about the higgs field. From that, I was under the impression that all particles gain mass from higgs interaction, with the exception of particles that stem from the weak nuclear force(which afaik is e&m based particles, correct?). He asked me to take it with a grain of salt because he is not a particle physicist, and that he only heard that from a colleague who was. Now, I could have misunderstood him, or maybe he misunderstood his colleague(Far less likely, it's probably me). I won't be taking quantum for another year(it won't be offered until then) but I don't think this would even be covered.

Could you clarify about what particles interact with the higgs field and gain mass through the interaction, and what particles get their mass through some other mechanism?

Thanks!

Also

Dominatus,

I don't think you're the first person to conceive of the idea of manipulating the higgs field to possibly obtain negative mass. At any rate, I'm not sure you can copyright an idea. Law isn't my field, but to attempt to copyright an idea or say that no one else on Earth, especially those who are much more qualified to ask and maybe answer these questions, has any rights to the idea is a little absurd. Especially if you want help with it - you should be looking for collaboration not to exclude everyone else.

I take it that the type of exotic matter required for the Alcubierre warp drive can't be obtained via Higgs field manipulation, than? Are there any hypothesis for how this type of exotic matter can be obtained, then? Or perhaps a even more promising FTL proposition? (I am aware that the Alcubierre drive is technically not FTL, but in principle it allows for FTL travel thanks to the warp bubble)

We don't know. Yes, no, maybe? If you want the answer bad enough, I suggest studying physics in college and moving on to a PhD in particle physics or whatever you find interesting.

Edited January 6, 2015 by How2FoldSoup

[Kryten]

What I think he meant was that the particles gain *some* mass from the Higgs field, which is what K2 noted. The issue seems to be the specialist versus non-specialist interpretations of the phrase 'gain mass'.

[Bill Phil]

Even if you can't get to the negatives, it's still an amazing feat. You could lower the mass of payloads and easily get them to high fractions of c.

I just can't stop thinking "Mass Effect" now...

If this happens...

Call it the Mass Dilation Effect.

[How2FoldSoup]

Even if you can't get to the negatives, it's still an amazing feat. You could lower the mass of payloads and easily get them to high fractions of c.

I just can't stop thinking "Mass Effect" now...

If this happens...

Call it the Mass Dilation Effect.

As you approach c the mass of an object approaches infinity. I suspect there would be an upper limit of the max fraction of c where the energy expenditure would break even and becomes pointless from an efficiency standpoint.

[Dominatus]

That is correct- it's why I am proposing that we take the exotic matter required to make the Alcubierre drive function (again being a senior in high school I haven't the slightest clue what that may be; I barely comprehend basic elements of the Alcubierre Metric), the negative mass being achieved with Higgs field manipulation. This would allow the Alcubierre drive to function with a drastically lowered required energy, such as the energy expenditure needed to convert a large amount of matter into a zero-mass state.

K^2- I am not intending to exclude anyone from pursuing this. In fact, I encourage it.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Dominatus
Typo

[Bill Phil]

As you approach c the mass of an object approaches infinity. I suspect there would be an upper limit of the max fraction of c where the energy expenditure would break even and becomes pointless from an efficiency standpoint.

Yes. However, it would allow for more conventional technologies to get to, say, 50% c without insane mass fractions.

[How2FoldSoup]

That is correct- it's why I am proposing that we take the exotic matter required to make the Alcubierre drive function (again being a senior in high school I haven't the slightest clue what that may be; I barely comprehend basic elements of the Alcubierre Metric), the negative mass being achieved with Higgs field manipulation. This would allow the Alcubierre drive to function with a drastically lowered required energy, such as the energy expenditure needed to convert a large amount of matter into a zero-mass state.

K^2- I am not intending to exclude anyone from pursuing this. In fact, I encourage it.

The exotic matter needed to have a true FTL alcubierre is negative mass. Negative mass is required to make 'blip' in spacetime as opposed to the 'hole' conventional mass creates in spacetime. Using the blip of negative mass and the hole of conventional mass you place your ship in the middle to ride the spacetime wave. That's a pretty simplified version of what it is. Because you're asking about it I assume you know that already. The negative mass required to get FTL speeds could be created from higgs field manipulation. The negative mass has no bearing on the energy required to sustain the field. That, as Howard White recently published(2 years or so), seems to be dependent on the shape of the field. Apparently football(american) shaped fields are less energy intensive than spherical, reducing the amount of mass-energy required from the mass of Jupiter to that of a small asteroid. I haven't looked at that in a year or two and I've learned a lot in physics and math since then and didn't understand(probably still don't) the mathematics behind it. I'd take a look now but I'm packing for vacation that starts tomorrow. When I get back, or maybe at the airport, I'll see what I can find.

Edit: I realized you replied to K^2 for something I said. Just a small mistake of identities is all. I only mentioned it because the way you worded your post. It sounds as though you believe you should be credited with this idea and that it is yours, even though you(nor anyone else for that matter) has done any significant research on it. I don't mean to insult you, it just sounds a little arrogant. Especially with your claim on the IP rights that you own the idea of attempting to use the higgs field to create theoretical 'negative mass.' I could have misinterpreted what you were trying to get across too.

Yes. However, it would allow for more conventional technologies to get to, say, 50% c without insane mass fractions.

If you can manipulate mass into negative mass, you don't need conventional technologies because you have FTL capabilities....Why go a fraction of c when you can go 20c?

Edited January 7, 2015 by How2FoldSoup

[Bill Phil]

The point that I'm making is that if it turns out you CAN'T turn a positive mass into a negative mass with something like this, then it's still useful for getting to high C fractions.

Also, you will need large amounts of both Negative and Positive mass.

[How2FoldSoup]

The point that I'm making is that if it turns out you CAN'T turn a positive mass into a negative mass with something like this, then it's still useful for getting to high C fractions.

Also, you will need large amounts of both Negative and Positive mass.

I don't see how you're lowering the mass of your craft(to get these high speeds) without using neg. mass to 'cancel out(for lack of better wording)' positive mass.

Can you explain further?

[Bill Phil]

I don't see how you're lowering the mass of your craft(to get these high speeds) without using neg. mass to 'cancel out(for lack of better wording)' positive mass.

Can you explain further?

If you can lower mass, you can make it very small. If you can't get negative mass, you can lower the mass of an object to near zero. That way, you can accelerate to large speeds. Manipulating mass means that you can control it at will. And that means much faster space craft.

However, if we can generate negative mass we don't HAVE TO use this, but then you would need to increase mass in the FRONT of the ship to an equal amount, and the center of the ship would preferably be zero.

[How2FoldSoup]

If you can lower mass, you can make it very small. If you can't get negative mass, you can lower the mass of an object to near zero. That way, you can accelerate to large speeds. Manipulating mass means that you can control it at will. And that means much faster space craft.

However, if we can generate negative mass we don't HAVE TO use this, but then you would need to increase mass in the FRONT of the ship to an equal amount, and the center of the ship would preferably be zero.

So what you're saying is that if we cannot create negative mass via higgs field manipulation, then perhaps we can manipulate normal mass and lower the mass of everyday objects(and spacecraft of course)? I can see this violating some conservation laws. I don't think that it would be possible or wise to do such a thing. Some properties of basic particles are what they are due to the mass of the particles. If you change the mass you'd throw the entire system out of equilibrium and badâ„¢ things could happen.

I'm only speculating. I've taken modern physics and would rather delegate K^2 to the practicality of that. He knows more than I do about quantum and particle physics. I don't think good things would happen though.

[Bill Phil]

So what you're saying is that if we cannot create negative mass via higgs field manipulation, then perhaps we can manipulate normal mass and lower the mass of everyday objects(and spacecraft of course)? I can see this violating some conservation laws. I don't think that it would be possible or wise to do such a thing. Some properties of basic particles are what they are due to the mass of the particles. If you change the mass you'd throw the entire system out of equilibrium and badâ„¢ things could happen.

I'm only speculating. I've taken modern physics and would rather delegate K^2 to the practicality of that. He knows more than I do about quantum and particle physics. I don't think good things would happen though.

The mass properties are relative. Change ALL mass and you should be fine. The laws of physics would work, of course, especially when you switch back to no mass manipulation. Momentum needs to be the same, but the mass increased, so the velocity gets lowered immediately. HUGE accelerations unless you're going slow to begin with.

[K^2]

He asked me to take it with a grain of salt because he is not a particle physicist

I am. Most of the mass is dynamically generated. We'd still have massive matter even without the Higgs Field. Now, weak interactions would be quite different, because with massless W and Z bosons they'd have infinite range.

[Dispatcher]

The assumption made seems to be that exotic matter must possess negative mass. Just as E=MC^2, perhaps an equivalent may suffice; in this case, negative energy? The more learned among you may be able to shed some light on this. Edit: The gist of what I'm suggesting is that negative energy (exotic energy?) be used as a substitute for exotic matter.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Dispatcher

[K^2]

It's the energy density that needs to be negative for the alcubierre drive, actually.

[Dominatus]

Energy density? Again, being pre-college I don't understand a lot of this. I grasped the X, Y, Z, and T variables in the metric were for translation in the dimensions of space. The rest of the equation still eludes me, though I am slowly teaching myself string theory and general quantum mechanics... What is a negative energy density? And are there proposed ways of obtaining it?

[Bill Phil]

So, either negative mass or negative volume?

[K^2]

So, either negative mass or negative volume?

But... I mean... Negative volume?

Honestly, never thought of it this way. Sounds insane, but given that we are dealing with a non-positive definite metric, maybe? My measure theory is rusty at best. I'm going to bug my friends from math dept. about this.

Back to slightly less insane physics of General Relativity, in general (heh) negative energy does not mean negative mass. In Alcubierre metric specifically, however, you get both. It's negative energy density and negative mass density. But both are densities, so your volume comment still applies.

Edit: Has anyone actually integrated the energy density in a warp bubble? I mean, has anyone actually verified that the total energy is negative? I mean, I know I didn't think of that, but somebody ought to have, right? Right? I'm going to need to do some serious math. After I talk to some serious people who know how to do serious math. Already looked through some analysis textbooks. They all assume positive definite metric. Gah.

A little while later edit: Looks like I've managed to thoroughly confuse myself up there. The densities in GR are 3-volume densities, which, naturally, are frame dependent. That's why the 4-vector quantity containing energy, the 4-momentum, has a tensor density. It's sort of like the flow density, and we are interested in its intersection with a 3-volume in selected coordinate system. Since the 3-volume is always normal to proper time of the coordinate system, the 3-volume is always positive. Essentially, you have to be moving faster than light to begin with to get positive energy turn into negative energy. So for all sane purposes, negative energy density of the warp bubble translates to negative total energy, as well as negative total mass. Ergo, requirement for exotic matter stands.

Edited January 10, 2015 by K^2

[Dominatus]

Yay! There go my dreams of being able to say... Space: The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five year mission: To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.

Oh well. Are there any theories that are more within the realm of being possible?