The Aharonov-Bohm effect: A quantum or a relativistic phenomenon?

2014/08/23 by K. Wilhelm, B. N. Dwivedi, Wilhelm, K. +1
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Quantum Physics (quant-ph) #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamics

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1501.05261

openalex publication_date 2014/08/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

The Aharonov-Bohm effect is considered by most authors as a quantum effect, but a generally accepted explanation does not seem to be available. The phenomenon is studied here under the assumption that hypothetical electric dipole distributions configured by moving charges in the solenoid act on the electrons as test particles. The relative motions of the interacting charged particles introduce relativistic time dilations. The massless dipoles are postulated as part of an impact model that has recently been proposed to account for the far-reaching electrostatic forces between charged particles described by Coulomb's law. The model provides a quantitative explanation of the Aharonov-Bohm effect.

Citations

• Classical Interaction of a Magnet and a Point Charge: The Classical\n Electromagnetic Forces Responsible for the Aharonov-Bohm Phase Shift
• Significance of Electromagnetic Potentials in the Quantum Theory
• Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Körper

Related

• An interpretation for Aharonov-Bohm effect with classical electromagnetic theory
• The Aharonov Bohm effect as a material phenomenon
• The Aharonov-Bohm Effect in the Momentum Space
• Classical Interaction of a Magnet and a Point Charge: The Classical\n Electromagnetic Forces Responsible for the Aharonov-Bohm Phase Shift
• Classical Electrodynamics without Fields and the Aharonov-Bohm effect