Reverse the force direction at long distance by a running coupling

Abstract

We reveal that a suitable running coupling $\alpha(q^2)$ can reverse the direction of the one-particle-exchange (OPE) force at long distance if (and under general assumptions, only if) the exchanged particle has a mass $m$, either intrinsic or effective. The essential requirement on $\alpha(q^2)$ is an extrapolating restriction $\alpha (-m^2)<0$. The running of $\alpha(q^2)$ can be from either renormalization-group evolution or certain derivatives in the Lagrangian. Reversal of the OPE force direction at long distance (namely, attraction transits to repulsion, or vice versa) may have important implications for gravity and cosmic acceleration, particle and nuclear physics, and also condensed matter properties such as superconductivity.