Fundamental formulation of electrodynamics revisited, and the precision of quantum electrodynamics

Abstract: It was shown recently that unambiguous description of electromagnetic environments requires electromagnetic potentials; knowledge only of electric and magnetic fields is insufficient and can lead to error. Consequences of that demonstration are here applied to propagating fields, such as laser fields. Gauge invariance is replaced by symmetry preservation. This alteration makes it possible to understand how the known failure of the convergence of perturbation expansions in quantum electrodynamics (QED) follows from the fact that QED is incomplete; it does not contain its strong-field limit. Inherent in that demonstration are the strong-field coupling constant and the strong-field alteration of the mass shell of a charged particle. A variety of physically important consequences ensue, including the loss of guidance from Feynman diagrams. The meaning of tests for the precision of QED is questioned since such evaluations apply only to perturbative QED, but not to extensions required for complete QED.