[General] SR

[Viv Robinson]

Dear All,
I note there are still some concerns about Einstein’s Special Relativity (SR) theory corrections. They were made on the basis that the speed of light is the same for all observers. His calculations have proved to be accurate. Despite that there are different schools of thought about SR. The “standard model”, ie, that which is accepted by mainstream physicists, is that the SR corrections are accurate because the speed of light is indeed constant for all observers. That is usually accompanied by “That is the way it is. We don’t need to know why”. Others suggest that SR implies an absolute reference point is required, against which the speed of light can be measured. This is a brief attempt to shed some light from an observer’s perspective. 

The speed of light has been measured by different people and organizations, under different circumstances, using different equipment at different times of the day and year. The results have been refined to the accepted value of 2.99792458 x  m/sec. (That value is now used to define the length of a metre). This is accurate to about 1 : 108. This can be compared to the motions of Earth based observers relative to our surroundings, see table 1. The values are approximate only and were taken from Wikipedia. The values for Earth rotating and revolving about the sun came from direct observation. The others came from Doppler redshift measurements. 

Origin of speed

Speed (km/sec)

Speed, c



Earth equatorial rotation

< 0.5

1.5 x 10-6

≈ 1.0000000000..

Earth revolving around sun

≈ 30

1 x 1010-4

≈ 1.00000002

Sun revolving around galaxy

≈ 230

7.7 x 10-4

≈ 1.0000003

Galaxy towards “Great Attractor”

≈ 600

2.2 x 10-3

≈ 1.0000048



Origin of speed					Speed (km/sec)		Speed (c) 		𝛾 (gamma)
Earth equatorial rotation				< 0.5				1.5 x 10^−6		≈ 1.0000000000
Exert revolving around sun			≈ 30					1 x 10^−4		≈ 1.00000002
Sun revolving around galaxy			≈ 230				7.7 x 10^−4		≈ 1.0000003
Galaxy towards “Great Attractor”		≈ 600				2.2 x 10^−3		≈ 1.0000048
Table 1  Summary of Earth based observers’ movements through space relative to nearby objects. Two versions are given in case of difficulties during downloading.

The important feature of table 1 is that, except for Earth’s rotation, all other measurements are well within the current experimental error in the measurement of c. If there were a fixed and absolute reference in space against which all measurements of c were made, that would be detected in measurements made. Table 1 indicates the constant speed of light has been measured with Earth having different speeds wrt “nearby” objects. Their SR corrections, 𝛾, are close to unity, but are still sufficient to be measured. Most of us are happy to believe we are at rest when sitting down in our office/laboratory etc. Relative to our local environment we are at rest. iMHO they are called relativity theories because all measurements are made relative to the observer making them.

There is nothing in the above that suggests there was any error in Einstein’s assumption of the constancy of the speed of light. That does not mean that his calculations are the only way of deriving the SR corrections. It does mean that the SR corrections are not an inherent property of space to be imposed upon travellers relative to a fixed reference in space that has no other cause. It does mean that the SR corrections are a property of each individual particle, as has been deduced from the toroidal or rotating photon model of individual sub-atomic particles. 

That brings us to the other question about intrepid space travellers encountering each other. SR suggests their clocks will show different times. How do they know which traveller is going the fastest? It is here that a little practicality is required. To a first approximation, stars in our local region of the Milky Way, say within 5,000 light years (LYs), would have approximately the same rotational speed around the galaxy as has our sun. (There is no evidence to suggest that stars in our local region are moving at significant speeds towards or away from each other.) The only difference would be in the rotational speed of the planet around their star of origin. That limits any speed difference to say 60 km/sec at the origin of both intrepid travelers.

Consider the situation of the intrepid space travelers setting out on their interstellar journey. Their origins would be relatively at rest wrt each other. As the traveled their internal clocks would be subject to the SR corrections. If at some time in the future their two paths were to cross, both would have those SR corrections to their internal clocks relative to their point of origin. If their speeds from their origins were less than the planetary rotation differences, they would not know which traveller was moving the fastest. Under the circumstances where at least one of their speeds was much greater than their orbital origin speeds, their clocks would be SR adjusted from their starting points. A comparison of clocks that took into account their Doppler frequency change would indicate which traveller was moving the fastest. 

There is no absolute fixed point in space about which all speeds must be measured. From the practical viewpoint, there is a local reference point set by the fixed nature of the stars in our local neighborhood (some thousands of light years around us). Outside that distance, the corrections required are given above. They are still quite small compared to c. Any travelers measuring a speed difference that is a significant fraction of c will know which one of them is traveling the fastest. From a practical point of view, this gives an approximate “fixed point” against which all speeds can be determined. It is set by the relatively stationary nature of the origins of those intrepid travelers who will travel for a few thousand light years. For travelers originating further than those few thousand light years apart, other corrections, minor compared to c, need too be applied.

The above is forwarded to suggest there is no experimental evidence for any flaw in SR. I hope others can gain a similar understanding. The “standard model” is wrong to assume: “That is the way it is. We don’t need to know why”. There has to be a cause, a physical reason why “it is the way it is”. The toroidal or rotating photon model of matter offers a physical reason of that cause. Others may be possible. There is no experimental evidence, accurate to < 1 : 108, to suggest it is wrong in its interpretation. 

We should challenge aspects of modern science’s understanding of the universe around us. Without such challenges there will not be much progress. I merely suggest that SR is not a good one to challenge.    

Cheers,

Vivian Robinson
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