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arXiv · 2507.11428

Second Quantization for the Kepler Problem

John C. Baez
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Abstract

The Kepler problem concerns a point particle in an attractive inverse square force. After a brief review of the classical and quantum versions of this problem, focused on their hidden $\text{SU}(2) \times \text{SU}(2)$ symmetry, we discuss the quantum Kepler problem for a spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ particle. We show that the Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}$ of bound states for this problem is unitarily equivalent, as a representation of $\text{SU}(2) \times \text{SU}(2)$, to the Hilbert space of solutions of the Weyl equation on the spacetime $\mathbb{R} \times S^3$. This equation describes a massless left-handed spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ particle. We then form the fermionic Fock space on $\mathcal{H}$ and show this is unitarily equivalent to the Hilbert space of a massless left-handed spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ free quantum field on $\mathbb{R} \times S^3$, again as representations of $\text{SU}(2) \times \text{SU}(2)$. By modifying the Hamiltonian of this free field theory, we obtain the well-known "Madelung rules". These give a reasonable approximation to the observed filling of subshells as we consider elements with more and more electrons, and match the rough overall structure of the periodic table.

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John C. Baez. 2025-07-15. Second Quantization for the Kepler Problem. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0305603

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