A New Modification of Classical Electromagnetic Theory

Abstract

A fundamental particle is treated as a unit charge whose rest mass and space time coordinates are variables of its motion. Classical electrodynamics, in its action at a distance formulation, is obtained from an action principle which is simpler than the usual one. In this new action principle the rest mass of a particle is varied as well as the coordinates. The rest masses of interacting particles, although not assumed constant a priori, become constants as a consequence of the equations of motion. Modifications of the old action principle can yield purely electromagnetic rest masses which are, however, the same for all particles. Similar modifications of the new action principle give purely electromagnetic rest masses to all charged fundamental particles. In this new modification of electrodynamics, particles interacting at small distances no longer have constant rest masses.