Donald, thanks for taking the time to explain this to me. I can see now why this won't work.

I can't thank you enough for patiently explaining the errors in my reasoning. Your thoughtful analysis is exactly what I was hoping for.

I had suspected that if it were this easy someone else would have surely thought of it by now and pursued this angle. And now I know why they didn't.

I'll leave this stuff to the physicists and mathematicians and get back to renovating our old house -- I know that would certainly make my wife happier!

Mike, thank you so much for catching that error! You are absolutely right. That is describing the situation where a "static" magnetic field is used to suppress vacuum fluctuations in both the front and the back of the craft at the same time and that is not what we want. As you point out, that will not result in the asymmetry we require.

In order to get an asymmetric dS/dx profile we would only suppress the vacuum fluctuations in the front of the craft and leave the back "off". We'd also need to apply a "pulsed" magnetic field to the front -- not a "static" magnetic field. I tried to show this in my simple diagram, but I didn't do a very good job of conveying that idea.

I am grateful that you caught my mistake. It's been 45 years since I did any calculus so my math skills are really rusty. It may take me some time to work out the correct equations, but this kind of feedback is invaluable. This is exactly what I'm looking for. What I was hoping for.

Thanks again!

Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate you taking the time to read through my theory.

This propulsion system won't work like traditional systems that rely on a reaction mass and, therefore, conservation of momentum. Instead it will work more like reverse osmosis.

In the reverse osmosis analogy, the "solution" is space-time and the "solute" is the vacuum fluctuations. In osmosis, the solution will try to equalize the concentration of solute. In doing so, it will set up a gradient that will cause a "push" from space-time as it tries to equalize the concentration of vacuum fluctuations.

Or we can think of it in terms of thermodynamics, where a system tends to proceed from low entropy to high entropy. If we can create a low entropy zone (fewer vacuum fluctuation modes), then higher entropy space-time (many more possible vacuum fluctuation modes) should try to bend around it, and in doing so provide the "push" needed by our propulsion system.

I realize the forces produced by the Casimir effect are very, very tiny, but I'm not depending on a force like traditional propulsion systems that use a reaction mass. I'm relying on entropy gradients to provide the "push".

Here is a link to a white paper I wrote with some minimal supporting math: https://archive.org/details/entropy-gradient-propulsion-system-whitepaper-rev-c

Here's a link to a more simplistic overview of the concept (no math): https://archive.org/details/entropy-gradient-propulsion-overview

I've been scouring the internet looking for other people exploring similar ideas and have found a couple different guys. Dr. Harold White (formerly of NASA) and Charles Chase (formerly of Lockheed-Martin Skunkworks) are both exploring propulsion systems that leverage the Casimir Effect. I've reached out to them and am waiting to hear back. Here are links to their website: https://casimirspace.com/ and https://unlab.us/

Thanks again for your interest in my idea.

Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate your honest assessment.

I know the forces produced by the Casimir effect are very, very tiny, but I'm not depending on a force like traditional propulsion systems that use a reaction mass. I'm relying on entropy gradients to provide the "push".

I tend to compare emergent gravity to osmosis, where space-time is the "solution" and the vacuum fluctuations are the "solute". In thermodynamics, systems tend to proceed from low entropy to high entropy. If we can create a low entropy zone, then higher entropy space-time should try to bend around it, and in doing so provide the "push" needed by our propulsion system.

Here is a link to a white paper I wrote with some minimal supporting math: https://archive.org/details/entropy-gradient-propulsion-system-whitepaper-rev-c

Here's a link to a more simplistic overview of the concept (no math): https://archive.org/details/entropy-gradient-propulsion-overview

I've been scouring the internet looking for other people exploring similar ideas and have found a couple different guys. Dr. Harold White (formerly of NASA) and Charles Chase (formerly of Lockheed-Martin Skunkworks) are both exploring propulsion systems that leverage the Casimir Effect. I've reached out to them and am waiting to hear back. Here are links to their website: https://casimirspace.com/ and https://unlab.us/

Haha. Yes, I had considered the possibility that this concept could be applied to power generation as well.

Multiple Casimir stacks could be arranged on a "rotor" such that the entropy gradient would cause the rotor to spin. The rotor could be attached to a generator via a direct drive or reduction gear coupling.

And there are likely other applications that have yet to be imagined.

I feel very fortunate to have found this forum. This is exactly the type of fertile environment in which these "seeds" can grow and flourish. 

I'm excited to see where these discussions can take us. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm! I look forward to a continued dialogue.

Thanks for your comment!

Yes, the hot-air balloon and temperature/pressure gradients is a good analogy. The balloon floats through a fluid medium (air), the entropy propulsion craft floats through the entropy structure of space-time. Both are pulled into regions of lower potential, but in our case, the craft itself is creating the region of lower potential and it's entropic -- not thermal.

I've managed to find at least one person, Dr. Harold G. White, that is actually manufacturing Casimir "stacks" using semiconductor technology, but at the moment he's concentrating on using the Casimir effect to produce power (batteries).

His laboratories would probably be in the best position to support experiments to detect changes in entropy that would likely manifest as tiny forces or weight changes in the sample. Sensitive torsion balances or laser interferometry would be needed to detect these changes.

The effect can be enhanced or controlled by exposing carefully chosen dielectric materials to magnetic fields. I have written to Dr. White, but have not heard back from him. I have also put this idea in the public domain by publishing a white paper to archive.org.

I am not smart enough to make this happen, but I know there are people out there who can. I am just anxious to get the idea out there where these physicist can take the ball and run with it, so to speak. I would love to see this happen in my lifetime.

Thanks for your comment. I appreciate your interest.

That is a fascinating suggestion. This would greatly simplify the design. The low entropy region of the craft could remain fixed, say in the bow of the craft and the gyroscope would be used to rotate the craft and point the bow in the intended direction of travel.

This is certainly worth considering. Thank you for your thoughtful suggestion.