Simulation of the Hydrogen Ground State in Stochastic Electrodynamics-2: Inclusion of Relativistic Corrections

Abstract

In a recent paper the authors studied numerically the hydrogen ground state in stochastic electrodynamics (SED) within the the non-relativistic approximation. In quantum theory the leading non-relativistic corrections to the ground state energy dominate the Lamb shift related to the photon cloud that should cause the quantum-like behaviour of SED. The present work takes these corrections into account in the numerical modelling. It is found that they have little effect; the self-ionisation that occurs without them remains present. It is speculated that the point-charge approximation for the electron is the cause of the failure.