Massless classical electrodynamics

Abstract

In the direct action form of classical EM we give the equation of motion for a classical massless bare charge without self-interaction in the presence of an external field. That equation permits superluminal speeds and time-reversals, and so is a realization of the Stueckelberg-Feynman view of electrons and positrons as different segments of a single trajectory. We give a particular solution to a one body problem, and briefly discuss some aspects of the two-body problem. There is some discussion of the historical context of this effort, including the direct action and absorber theories, and some speculation on how the massless bare charge may acquire mass, and how these findings impact the problem of singular self-action.