Resolving a Paradox in Special
Relativity
—Absolute Motion and the Unified Doppler Equation
Conrad Ranzan (2009)
www.CellularUniverse.org
Abstract:
One of the great unsolved mysteries in standard cosmology involves the
incompatibility of absolute motion and relative motion. By the first
postulate of Einstein's special relativity (ESR) one cannot tell if one is at rest or in uniform motion in
a straight line. However, one can always recognize accelerated motion. The
present Paper shows that both constant circular motion as well as
constant linear motion represent absolute motion. As far as
the usual relativistic effects are concerned, there is no difference. The
strange consequences of having oppositely directed absolute motion are
dealt with. The paradox is resolved by first introducing aether-space, and
then by deriving and applying the
DSSU* Doppler equation. It is
shown how the DSSU* Doppler equation unifies the two existing
Doppler equations. This Unified equation, under specified conditions, reduces
to the Einstein special relativity Doppler expression; and, under
another set of conditions, it reduces to the General Doppler expression.
Absolute relativity
and apparent relativity are discussed, and the new relativity
postulates are stated.
* DSSU is the acronym for Dynamic
Steady State Universe. It is a model based on the premise that all things
are processes.
Keywords: Special relativity; relative motion; absolute motion;
absolute space; Doppler effect; aether space; absolute inertial motion;
DSSU cosmology; Dynamic Steady State Universe.
The complete DSSU Research paper:
Resolving
a Paradox in Special Relativity —Absolute Motion
and the Unified Doppler Equation.
(A sixteen page "Portable Document File" will open in a new
Window)
Introductory Discussion
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Relativity is expressible in
terms of absolutivity. That is to say, Einstein’s purely relative
motion equations
—his relativity of motion in
geometric space—
can be converted and expressed as aether-referenced equations.
—CR
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Einstein postulated that only relative movements between objects are
physically relevant; absolute inertial motions cannot be measured and
cannot even be defined. Simply put, absolute inertial motion
(constant-speed straight-line motion with respect to a preferred
frame-of-reference) has no meaning in special relativity. Einstein
made it quite clear, there is no place in his theory for a preferred
frame of reference. All inertial motion is relative, relative to
whoever is observing the motion (or, relative to whatever object is
designated as a stand-in for the observer)
However, physical reality does not agree with Einstein’s theory.
Absolute motion can be detected —in fact it was repeatedly detected
throughout the twentieth century! For further details see
The Aether
Experiments and the Impact on Cosmology.
| Now the fact that Einstein ignored (even
misinterpreted) the evidence, concentrating his efforts in furthering
his purely mathematical field theories, is interesting but
understandable. It is understandable because Einstein, as a Platonist,
considered the abstract world more real than the substantive world.
However, the fact that the conventional Physics Community ignored the
evidence —even imposing publication restrictions and censorship— is
shocking and bizarre. It is a long story; and still unfolding. Here’s
the ultra short version: All those individuals and institutions with a
vested interest in Einstein’s Relativity fear the evidence, the
evidence with the power to radically alter a cherished theory, and
fear the revolutionary implications that come with absolute
inertial motion. Revolutionary implications? Absolutely! ... The experimental evidence of
absolute motion means that space is physical. It means space has an
undeniable degree of absoluteness. It means that space (the vacuum) can be
accurately described as being an aether-space. It means that conventional
Physics has it wrong —wrong, ever since the historic year of 1887. Most
embarrassing. |
Historical view of Aether as a
light conducting medium: Somewhat as sound waves consist of
vibrations of a material medium (such as air), it was postulated that
electromagnetic waves are propagated in a rarefied, all-pervasive
medium called “the aether,” which was assumed to be so ethereal (and
non-viscous) that planets pass through it without appreciable
friction. The electromagnetic field was taken to be a certain kind of
stress in the aether, somewhat similar to stresses that occur in
ordinary solid, liquid, and gaseous materials that transmit the waves
of sound and mechanical strains. |
Einstein was well aware of the fearful consequences of evidence of
absolute motion. In a letter of July 1925 to Edwin E. Slosson, Einstein
confessed that “Should the positive result [of the Miller aether-motion
experiments] be confirmed, then the special theory of relativity and
with it the general theory of relativity, in its current form, would be
invalid. Experimentum summus judex.” [1]
[Emphasis added]
Einstein had always accepted the conclusion of the famous Michelson and
Morley aether-drift experiments: No motion detected; the so-called 'null
result.' But now Einstein's contemporary, Dayton Miller,
was accumulating positive aether-motion results. He had little choice but
to hope and assume “that the Miller experiments are based on a
fundamental error. Otherwise, the whole relativity theory collapses like
a house of cards.” (Albert Einstein, in a letter to Robert Millikan,
June 1921, with added emphasis)[2]
Imagine the suspense; much of your life’s work hanging in the balance;
great theories threatened by an essence substance that is as close to
nothingness as is possible to conceive!
And as it happened absolute motion was discovered.
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“The effect [of aether-drift] has
persisted throughout. After considering all the possible sources of
error, there always remained a positive effect.” — Dayton Miller
(1928)[3] |
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The discovery was, for the most part, ignored. When it couldn’t be
ignored it was discredited. This went on for the lengthy balance of the
twentieth century.
The (state-sponsored) Physics Community self-censured into stagnation.
While this situation continues, it is left to others to address the cascade of implications
that flow when one discovery leads to other discoveries. It is the
independent researchers who must deal with the discovery and the repeated
experimental confirmation of the existence of a physical space
—descriptively called a luminiferous-and-dynamic aether.
The irony in all this is that Einstein’s fear was unfounded. Although,
the existence of aether was confirmed, its existence need not have been
cause for concern. Einstein and his followers were so opposed to the aether
idea that they missed an unprecedented opportunity to actually extend
his great theory —to extend relativity to include a ‘preferred frame’ and
encompass absolute inertial motion.
Lacking the concept of absolute inertial motion Einstein’s
relativity leads to a paradox. The first half of the Paper details the
paradox —the speed paradox. The second half resolves it. (The
Appendix gives the mathematical proof.)
Supplementary Discussion
Absolute motion is the key discovery.
What does this mean for relativity theory? It means that Einstein’s
special relativity can be expressed in terms of absolutivity.
That is to say, Einstein’s purely relative motion equations —his relativity
of motion in geometric space— can be converted and expressed as
aether-referenced equations. It means that Einstein’s relativity
becomes a sub-domain of a broader theory encompassing absolute and
relative motion (also, absolute and apparent effects).
The cascade of implications goes like this: The discovery of absolute
motion leads to aether-space which leads to the sub-summation of relativity
into a broader theory. But it gets better.
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Here is the startling sequence that leads to theory unification:
Absolute motion leads to aether-space leads to a light propagation medium
(which Clerk Maxwell had claimed all along was needed to make sense of the
electromagnetic theory). It was the existence of an aether medium that
allowed Maxwell to claim that the velocity of light from moving sources was
invariant. (In other words Maxwell had a logical cause for c
to be constant, Einstein did not.) Now, if light is a wave that travels in
the aether medium and sound is a wave that travels in an atomic/molecular
medium, it is easy to see the opportunity for theory unification.
The properties of the aether —the luminiferous-and-gravitational aether—
as fascinating as they are, will not be detailed here. The purpose of this
supplementary discussion is to highlight how two separate and distinct
theories of the Doppler effect can be brought together under a new Unified
Doppler equation. (DSSU relativity is the sub-summing theory.)
In conventional physics the Doppler effect for moving light sources is
treated as a completely independent phenomenon unrelated to the Doppler
effect for moving sound sources. No equation relates the two phenomena.
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Doppler Phenomena
Doppler effect: The
change in the observed frequency of an acoustic or electromagnetic
wave due to the motion of source and/or observer.
Historical note: In
1842, Christian Doppler predicted that the frequencies of received
waves were dependent on the motion of the source or observer relative
to the propagating medium. His predictions were promptly checked and
confirmed for sound waves by placing the source or observer on one of
the newly developed railroad trains.
Albert Einstein on the other hand developed a Doppler shift expression
specifically for light waves which according to his theory did not
require the presence of a propagating medium. In his original article
on the special theory of relativity (Ann. Physik, 17,
891 (1905)) Einstein made the Doppler shift dependent upon the
relative velocity —that is, upon the velocity of the source
relative
to the observer. |
The existence of aether-space as a medium for the propagation of
electromagnetic waves changes everything. The Flowchart below traces the
unifying structure of the mathematical relationships. The chart shows that
the wave frequency f picked up by the Detector is determined by the motion
(collinear speed vS) of the Source and by the motion (collinear speed
vD)
of the Detector.
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Flowchart showing how the Doppler equations are related. |
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The DSSU Unified Doppler equation is derived in the Appendix to
the
research
Paper.
It is important to realize that the Einstein’s Doppler equation is
not a special case of the Unified. It is by no means obvious,
but both equations give the same answer; they must because the frequency
Detector displays the actual frequency and does not care which equation the
Detector-frame Observer decides to use as a check.
Then it must be that both relativistic expressions are general.
The Unified Doppler expression always uses aether-referenced
velocities; within its domain it is general. The Einstein Doppler
expression always uses purely relative velocities and within its domain it,
too, is completely general.
Why is this so important? ... It means that within its domain, within
its limited sphere of applicability, there is nothing wrong with Einstein’s
special relativity.
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The DSSU Unified Doppler research paper:
Resolving a Paradox in Special Relativity —Absolute Motion and the Unified
Doppler Equation. The highlight of this paper is the unification (under DSSU Theory)
of two Doppler phenomena —familiar effects normally considered to be
unrelated.
Copyright © 2006-2010 by Conrad Ranzan
E-mail:
DSSUresearch@CellularUniverse.org
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