Abstract. We point out that large superconducting bodies described by the theory of hole superconductivity will emit ionizing radiation in non-equilibrium situations. This remarkable prediction, involving an energy scale a factor of 10¹² larger than the low energy scale usually associated with superconductivity, is unique to the theory of hole superconductivity. The phenomenon is a consequence of the macroscopic inhomogeneous charge distribution predicted to exist in superconducting bodies, and the resulting intrinsic macroscopic spin currents in the superconducting state in the absence of applied fields. For superconducting bodies of sufficiently large size, the speed of the spin–current carriers approaches the speed of light, and in addition real electron–positron pair production is expected to occur in the interior. When the superconducting state is destroyed, electromagnetic radiation with frequencies up to should arise from bremsstrahlung and electron–positron annihilation. In support of this rather unconventional theory we point out that it is the only existing theory that proposes explanations for two fundamental universal effects associated with superconductivity: the Meissner effect and the Tao effect.

Print publication: Issue 12 (28 March 2007)
Received 26 July 2006, in final form 1 September 2006
Published 6 March 2007