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Abstract

A new formulation of the radiation-reaction probelm is proposed, which is simpler than alternatives which have been used before. The new approach is based on the initial-value problem, uses approximations which need be uniformly valid only in compact regions of spacetime, and makes no time-asymmetric assumptions (no a priori introduction of retarded potentials or outgoing-wave asymptotic conditions). It defines radiation reaction to be the expected evolution of a source obtained by averaging over a statistical ensemble of initial conditions. The ensemble is chosen to reflect one's complete lack of information (in real systems) about the initial data for the radiation field. The approach is applied to the simple case of a weak-field, slow-motion source in general relativity, where it yields the usual expressions for radiation reaction when the gauge is chosen properly. There is a discussion of gauge freedom, and another of the necessity of taking into account reaction corrections to the particle-conservation equation. The analogy with the second law of thermodynamics is very close, and suggests that the electromagnetic and thermodynamic arrows of time are the same. Because the formulation is based on the usual initial-value problem, it has no spurious "runaway" solutions.