Some Consequences of Gravitationally Induced Electromagnetic Effects in Microphysics

We discuss the relation between the gravitational and electromagnetic fields as governed by the Einstein-Maxwell field equations. It is emphasized that the tendency of the gravitational field to induce electromagnetic effects increases as the size of the system goes down. In particular, the gravitational field, according to general relativity, tends to become dominated by the spin at distances of the order of the Compton wavelength. The relevant quantity which governs this behavior is the ratio S/M^2 where S is the (spin) angular momentum. For an electron, S/M^2 ~ 10^44. Therefore, gravitomagnetic effects will play a significant role in the subatomic domain. To analyze this situation we use the asymptotic structure in the form of the multipole fields. Some important consequences for the electromagnetic fields of charged particles with spin are pointed out. In particular, the gravitational field may induce corrections to the Coulomb field which can be tested experimentally.