Mike McCulloch's MiHsC Theory
Mike McCulloch's theory is that the EmDrive thrust results from an internal pressure differential in Unruh Radiation.[1][2][3] See also: http://physicsfromtheedge.blogspot.co.uk/
Contents
Explanation of MiHsC Theory
Modified Hubble-scale Casimir Effect Theory, or MiHsC, is a theory developed by Mike McCullough, a physicist at Plymouth University in Plymouth, England. The theory attempts to explain the cause of inertia, which is not completely explained by general and special relativity. MiHsC theory relies on Mach's Principle, which states that distant objects can influence inertia of mass. But there is a boundary as to how far away the objects influencing intertia can be. This boundary is the point at which light (and therefore any information) will never be able to reach an object because universal expansion outpaces the speed of light. Anything beyond this point (called the Rindler event horizon) is outside the observable universe and therefore can't effect the object at the center of the Rindler space. MiHsC further posits that the Rindler event horizon is effectively the same as a black hole's event horizon. At a black hole's event horizon, quantum virtual particle pairs are occaisionally separated by gravity resulting in particle emissions known as Hawking Radiation. For a Rindler horizon, a similar radiation is suspected to exist called Unruh radiation. MiHsC posts that Unruh radiation causes inertia. As a particle moves, the Rindler information horizon expands in the direction of travel, and contracts behind it. This results in a pressure differential in the Unruh radiation experienced by the moving object. More Unruh radiation hits the object from the direction of travel, resulting in the effect we observe as inertia. In addition to explaining EmDrive motion witout violating Conservation of Momentum, MiHsC theory also notably resolves the observed discrepancies in galactic spin and cosmological expansion without the need for dark matter or dark energy.
Application to EmDrive
In the case of the EmDrive, the metal walls act as the event horizon for Unruh radiation created within the cavity. The wavelengths of this radiation are normally light-years across, but inside the EmDrive they are compressed to roughly the size of the EmDrive. Fewer Unruh waves will fit at the small end of the fustrum, resulting in a pressure differential. Photons at the larger end therefore have a higher inertial mass, and to conserve momentum in our reference frame, its frame, the cavity, must move towards the narrow end. The predicted thrust is, approximately, for a truncated cone cavity:
F = P Q L/c * (1/Ds - 1/Db)
where c is the speed of light in the medium inside the cavity, P is input power (watt), Q is the quality factor of resonance, L is the cavity length (meter), Ds is the small end diameter (meter) and Db the big end diameter (meter).
Status
Dr. McCullough is still refining his theory with respect to the EmDrive and intends to publish additional papers which may include testable predictions for the EmDrive.
Predictions & Evidence
The derivation & comparisons with the data are given in this paper: Can the Emdrive Be Explained by Quantised Inertia? The predictions are in rough agreement with the observed thrust of various experiements. Further testing is necessary to exclude enironmental artifacts.
MiHsC predicts that thrust can be increased by increasing either input power, Q factor, taper of the cone, or use of a dielectric. In addition, by changing the input Rf frequency, it should be possible to cause the Unruh radiation to better fit in the small end than the large. This would result in thrust in the opposite direction.
