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A_A ,
@A_A@lemmy.world avatar

In physics, emergence is used to describe a property, law, or phenomenon which occurs at macroscopic scales (in space or time) but not at microscopic scales, despite the fact that a macroscopic system can be viewed as a very large ensemble of microscopic systems.

Jeredin OP ,
@Jeredin@lemm.ee avatar

“Solids are made of only three kinds of particles: electrons, protons, and neutrons. None of these are quasiparticles; instead a quasiparticle is an emergent phenomenon that occurs inside the solid. Therefore, while it is quite possible to have a single particle (electron, proton, or neutron) floating in space, a quasiparticle can only exist inside interacting many-particle systems such as solids.” Quasiparticle Wiki

I’ve also been studying Phonons on Wiki: " However, photons are fundamental particles that can be individually detected, whereas phonons, being quasiparticles, are an emergent phenomenon."

This is the micro/quantum phenomena I’m trying to further understand and was wondering if any quasi-fields/particles have been discovered or predicted in space - I couldn’t find any so far.

count_of_monte_carlo Mod ,

A quasiparticle is more of a useful concept for describing the behavior of systems than it is a distinct object. In the example you cite, phonons are a convenient way of describing how vibrations are transmitted in matter. The fact that phonons are “quantized” is more accurately just emergent behavior from the system of atoms or molecules, a consequence of the fact that the atoms have quantized vibrational states.

As an analogy, consider a ripple in a pond. The ripple appears to be a real, distinct thing. You can describe it with math (as a wave) and predict its behavior. But it cannot exist separately from the water in the pond. The ripple is an emergent phenomenon in water, a quasi-object. It only exists as a collective behavior of the water molecules.

By definition quasiparticles cannot exist in a vacuum.

A_A ,
@A_A@lemmy.world avatar

Physics needs new ideas and enthusiasm at least to try and explain this Amaterasu particle.
Your ideas here are similar to my own : there is a (yet unknown) mechanism that is generating particles and it occurs in otherwise empty space.

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