Statistical Model of Heavy-Ion Fusion-Fission Reactions

We consider the possibility that electromagnetism is caused by the exchange of unphysical L=0 photons between fundamental particles with properties that resemble quantum black holes. This force is infinite if the known far-field cross section is assumed. However, the divergence is generated at low energy where the photon wavelengths are large and the far-field limit fails. An estimate of the near-field correction removes the infinity and leads to an estimate of the inverse fine structure constant of ~139. A speculative scaling of a term controlling the near-field correction by 1/(1+) gives the result  =137.038. A suggested speculative link to the higher-order QED corrections to the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron gives =137.036 and a calculated elementary charge q=1.60217710 C. These calculations suggest elementary particles are quantum black holes.