A Newtonian Electron Model

When J.J. Thompson discovered the electron, numerous physicists like Lorentz, Abraham, and Poincare tried to create a model for it. Their charge distributions succeeded answering many questions: the origin of inertia, the gyromagnetic ratio, and the intrinsic magnetic moment. Their ideas were forestalled by the seemingly insurmountable problem of instability. A non-electromagnetic force was postulated by Poincare to keep the like charges from tearing themselves apart, eliminating the possibility of a purely electromagnetic theory of matter. We believe that any field theory will suffer from this problem. After reviewing Oppenheimer’s proof of the instability of any charge and current distribution obeying the Maxwell Lorentz equations, we will show how an action at a distance theory such as Ritz’s force law can give us a stable charge and current distribution without Poincare’s stress. Our preliminary results preserve the initial successes of the early pioneers and suggest further directions of research.