Two Types of Aether

James Maxwell modeled light as waves, and required for this an aether to propagate the waves. However, ever since the discovery of the photon, there has not been any need for such an aether.

Photons do not require a propagating aether. They can get from one place to another without an aether. However, there still is a need for an aether in order to explain certain optical phenomena like the double slit experiment, and there is a need for a reservoir of low energy photons that can be kicked up in energy.

These two needs are covered by the theory of the aether as a reservoir of zero-point particles. Such an aether would form a standing wave, and would act as a reservoir of readily available photons and neutrinos. It would also be extremely fluid due to the constant motion of its constituent parts. There would hardly be any drag associated with it.

An electron surrounded by zero-point particles

A strict particle model of physics does not require a propagating aether in order to explain electromagnetic phenomena. It requires an interfering aether and a reservoir of photons and neutrinos. Both of these requirements are covered by the model of the aether as low energy photons and neutrinos.

The Aether as a Standing Wave

An aether of zero-point particles will have the overall behavior of a very high frequency standing wave. The reason for this is that the photons and neutrinos making up the aether will constantly bump into each other. Having similar momentum, they will bounce perfectly.

Unlike high energy photons and neutrinos, zero-point particles interact strongly with each other. With the photons six times larger than the neutrinos, and most likely a good deal rarer than the neutrinos, we get photons evenly spaced out, with neutrinos filling the space between them.

The overall pattern becomes that of a vibrating grid, with photons locked into position. Constantly moving at the speed of light, everything vibrates furiously.

3 negative + 3 positive particle quanta = 1 photon

Assuming that the number of neutral particle quanta are identical to that of charged quanta, we end up with 3 neutrinos for every photon. However, many photons have condensed into ordinary matter, so the ratio of neutrinos to zero-point photons can be assumed to be even higher.

With photons being dielectric, we get that zero-point particles will both repel and attract each other. The neutrinos between the photons will therefore act in much the same way that neutrinos act in the vicinity of charged matter. There will be tiny high and low pressure areas constantly fluctuating in harmony with the overall vibration.

The result will be a resilient and self-repairing standing wave. Exactly the thing we need in order to explain the double slit experiment in terms of standing waves.

Pilot Waves vs. Wavelengths

The standard explanation for how Faraday cages work is that the metal mesh from which it is constructed will let through only those photons with sufficiently small wavelengths to fit through the openings.

If a photon has a very long wavelength, it will not fit through the holes in the metal mesh. Instead, it is reflected or absorbed. Low energy photons, which are associated with long wavelengths, are thereby prevented from entering the cage.

This sounds reasonable at first reading. However, it makes little sense on closer inspection. Why should the fact that a tiny particle is oscillating at a low frequency have anything to do with its ability to penetrate a metal mesh with holes vastly larger than itself?

The alternative explanation is that the penetration of photons through the metal mesh of a Faraday cage has nothing to do with wavelengths. It is rather a function of momentum.

All detectable photons have a pilot wave associated with them. This wave extends out far beyond each photon, and it is this pilot wave that prevents low energy photons from getting through the mesh of a Faraday cage.

Low energy photons have insufficient momentum to push themselves and their associated pilot wave through the mesh. These are either absorbed or reflected by the mesh.

Low energy photon about to be reflected by a mesh

Higher energy photons have little problem pushing their pilot waves through the mesh. To prevent these, the opening in the mesh have to be smaller. For visible light, the mesh has to be as fine as the lattice of atoms in order to prevent penetration.

High energy photon pushing itself and associated pilot wave through a mesh

The mechanisms behind reflection and refraction of visible light is the exact same as the mechanisms behind the Faraday cage. Visible light gets reflected, absorbed or refracted by the atomic lattice of glass depending on their momentum.

For radio waves, the mesh of the Faraday cage acts like the lattice of glass, letting high energy radio waves through, while absorbing or reflecting the lower energy ones.

In the case of barriers made out of bricks and mortar, we get the situation where visible light is incapable of penetration, while radio waves go through. The lattice of the atoms in these materials are ordered in such a way that they obscure the relatively straight path of visible light while allowing the much more meandering radio wave photons to find ways to penetrate.

Low energy radio wave bouncing its way through bricks and mortar

This reverses the situation described for the Faraday cage and glass. The low energy radio waves bounce their way through the atomic lattice while visible light gets absorbed or reflected.