Relativity and the Luminal Structure of Matter

Spacetime & Substance, Vol. 5, No. 3 (23), pp. 104-112, 2004.

This work seeks to examine whether there is a natural way for the formalism of special relativity to embrace massless objects which move at the speed of light, by asking if the spacetime coordinates of such objects can be transformed from one inertial reference frame to another. The result of using matter waves as the embodiment of wave-particle duality in an attempt to include only the guiding principle of quantum mechanics in the derivation of the Lorentz transformation equations is presented. This allows one to incorporate the comoving velocity of an object into the transformation equations in a natural way. We call the resulting transformation equations the general forms of the Einstein-Lorentz transformations (GLT). The general forms of the Einstein-Lorentz transformations (GLT) are found to reduce to the usual forms of the Lorentz transformation equations in our spacetime, revealing that the velocity of an arbitrary object in our spacetime is equal to c, the speed of light. We find as a result of the general reformulation that mass is an apparent quantity, i.e., one that is represented by an indeterminate mathematical expression. A method for dealing with such indeterminate quantities will be presented in a subsequent work.

A fundamental asymmetry currently exists between the Einstein-Minkowski definition of a single unified spacetime and the separation of space and time variables required by wave theory. The source of this asymmetry is traced back to Einstein's definition of time dilation which, by following the 'world line' of a discrete material particle, not only contravenes Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle but also the more general condition that time-frequency measurement must be carried out at a single rest point in space relative to each inertial system. Redefining space-time accordingly, the space and time axes for "moving" systems, expressed in the coordinates of the "stationary" system, become identical to the phase and group velocities of spherical standing waves. By recognising that Einstein's "array" of synchronised clocks, and the Michelson-Morely experiment upon which it was based, has all of the salient features of equal and opposite standing waves, the Lorentz Transformation Equations can then be directly deduced as the wave arguments of these standing wave motions when transformed to other systems of coordinates. Only under this definition can the principle of relativity be upheld. Assigning the proper frame to the observer has the effect of inverting time dilation while leaving the mathematical structure essentially in tact; the standard time-like, space-like and light-like interpretations of the Minkowski interval, for example, find their most natural expression depending upon whether we are measuring frequency, wavelength, or the wavefront of an electromagnetic wave. Inasmuch as energy-momentum depend upon frequency-wavelength, then the equivalence of mass and energy still holds under this interpretation. However, this is no mere trivial change in our `point of view'. Time is now proportional to and transformed together with length, which was always a fundamental condition of wave theory. Since the array of clocks have been synchronised via light waves of universal speed c according to Einstein's second principle, then this leads to a satisfactory definition of time "in general". Reviewing some of the experimental evidence or arguments that are usually cited in defence of time dilation - the Transverse Doppler Effect, the Twins Paradox and acceleration - it is shown that they can and must be reinterpreted in terms of time contraction if the equations are to remain consistent. The empirical evidence obtained by Ives-Stillwel, Hafele-Keating et al. merely proved the existence of a Transverse Doppler Effect, which is here identified with time contraction; the "stationary" clocks, now defined as objective wave motions, have been contracted with respect to clocks in relative motion and not dilated inversely. Since the empirical predictions are precisely the same as the conventional interpretation - it is the "stationary" clock's that are running fast - then it becomes a clear case of affirming the consequent. Hence, all of this implies that our sense of space and time, and perhaps even our biological apparatus used in sensory perception, evolved from our experience of observable wave phenomena and not post hoc from the rods and clocks of our own making. As a final consideration, if we generalise this Minkowski metric for curved space-time, then the motion of quantum wave-particles under the influence of gravity should follow as a matter of course.

It is shown that the special theory of relativity can be considered as a natural and convenient way of describing the surrounding world, in which all material phenomena represent physical vacuum fields described by Lorentz-invariant the equations. It is asserted that the special theory of relativity is characterized by some incorrectness, in view of the negation of the possibility of determining the speed of the absolute motion of the laboratory system and the introduction of absolute time and space.

RELATIVITY AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, 2021

Physics Essays

The answer lies right in front of us, but we refuse to see it. Both relativity and quantum theory, the two pillars of fundamental physics, are modified in this paper to make them also explain the physical phenomena they describe. With this explanation, all current inconsistencies between the two vanish. The modifications relate to the presence of a medium, which is in fact potential energy, in three-dimensional space. This medium acts as a reference system, in accordance with Mach's principle. The speed of light, therefore, is not absolute but relative to the medium and thus to the observer. It is also dependent on medium density. Quantum waves are real scalar waves occurring in the potential energy medium, not probabilities of particles being present. Real scalar quantum waves in three-dimensional space make up the whole of physics representing manifest energy. Particles therefore do not exist; they are local manifestations of real scalar quantum waves. As a result, the Doppler effect and wave interference play a central role in physics. Moreover, the dependence of quantum wave velocity (speed of light) on medium density provides the energy exchange mechanism that is central to physics because all physical phenomena, including observation, concern energy exchange, or interaction. The conceptual simplicity of the model of physics proposed in this paper is shown to clarify a series of paradoxes and ill-understood phenomena at the fundamental level of physics such as wave-particle duality, the twins paradox, and the double slit experiment. As to entanglement, superposition, and nonlocality, the model implies that only weak versions of these properties exist. V

Arxiv preprint physics/0010076, 2000

The present work shows that through a suitable change of variables relativistic dynamics can be mapped to light propagation in a non-homogeneous medium. A particle's trajectory through the modified space-time is thus formally equivalent to a light ray and can be derived from a mechanical equivalent of Fermat's principle. The similarities between light propagation and mechanics are then extended to quantum mechanics, showing that relativistic quantum mechanics can be derived from a wave equation in modified space-time. Non-relativistic results, such as de Broglie's wavelength, Schrödinger equation and uncertainty principle are shown to be direct consequences of the theory and it is argued that relativistic conclusions are also possible.

We argue that special relativity, instead of quantum theory, should be radically reformulated to resolve inconsistencies between those two theories. A new relativistic transformation recently-proposed renders physical laws form-invariant via transformation of physical quantities, instead of space-time coordinates. This new perspective on relativistic transformation provides an insight into the very meaning of the principle of relativity. The principle of relativity means that the same physical laws hold in all inertial frames, rather than their mathematical formulas are Lorentz-covariant under the Lorentz transformation of space-time coordinates. The space-time concept underlying this new relativistic transformation is Newtonian absolute space and absolute time. With this new perspective, quantum theory becomes compatible with the principle of relativity. A new theory of relativistic quantum mechanics is formulated. The new relativistic quantum mechanics thus obtained maintains the ...

The present article proposes an epistemic approach to relativity, termed information relativity theory, and utilized to describe the dynamics of inertial systems. For this purpose, we consider a physical system in which an observer receives information about measurements taken in another reference-frame moving with constant velocity v relative to the observer's frame. Unlike existing ontic relativity theories, we avoided questions pertaining to the true state of nature. We only ask how physical measurements taken in the "moving" frame are transformed when they are received in the observer's "rest" frame. We specify that information is communicated using an information carrier with known velocity Vc > v). We make no other assumptions. For systems of the above described type, we derive the epistemic relativistic time, distance, mass, and energy transformations, relating measurements transmitted by the information sender, to the corresponding information obtained by the receiver. The resulting terms are simple and beautiful with several Golden Ratio symmetries. For low velocities (v << Vc), all the transformations reduce to the classical Newtonian formulas. In addition to being axiom-free, the proposed theory is scale-independent, implying that it applies to all "moving" bodies regardless of their mass and physical size. It is also scale-independent with regard to the velocity of the information carrier, provided that it is larger than the relative velocity of the "moving" bodies. Inspection of the energy density term confirms with Einstein's and de Broglie's models of matter-wave duality and sheds new light on the interplay between a particle matter and its accompanying wave as simultaneous carriers of a moving body's total energy. The revealed matter-wave duality model is utilized for predicting and explaining important quantum phenomena and cosmological observations.

We consider inertial physical systems in which signals about physical measurements conducted in one reference frame are transmitted to a receiver moving with relative constant velocity v, by an information carrier with a constant velocity v_c with respect to the transmitter's rest frame. To render the model relevant to reality, we assume v_c> v. We make no other assumptions. For systems of this type, we derive the relativistic time, distance, mass, and energy transformations, relating measurements transmitted by the information sender, to the corresponding information registered at the receiver. The sender and receiver need not be human or animate observers. The resulting relativistic terms are beautiful and simple. They are functions only of the normalized velocity β = v/v_c , implying they are scale independent with respect to the velocity of the information carrier, and to the mass and spatial dimensions of the observed bodies. The model's scale independence renders it applicable for all physical systems, irrespective of their size, and the velocity of the information carrier used in the system. For β << 1, all the derived transformations reduce to Galileo-Newton physics. The derived transformations disobey the Lorentz invariance principle. The time transformation predicts relativistic time dilation for distancing bodies and time contraction for approaching bodies. The distance transformation predicts relativistic length contraction for approaching bodies and length extension for distancing bodies. The mass transformation is inversely proportional to the distance transformation, implying an increase in relativistic mass density for approaching bodies and a decrease of mass density for distancing bodies, due to respective length contraction or extension along the body's travel path. For distancing bodies, the relativistic kinetic energy as a function of β displays a monotonic pattern, with a unique maximum at β = Φ, where Φ is the golden ratio (≈ 0.618). At sufficiently high normalized velocities, the relativistic extension can maintain spatial locality between distanced particles, suggesting quantum entanglement is not "spooky," because it is a proximal action. For the special case of v_c = c, where c is the velocity of light, application of the proposed model yields new important insights and results and reproduces several important predictions of Special Relativity, General Relativity, observationally based ΛCDM models, and quantum theory. The model makes excellent predictions for the Michelson-Morley's "null" result, the relativistic lifetime of decaying muons, the Sagnac effect, and the neutrino velocities reported by OPERA and other collaborations. Application of the model to cosmology, without alteration or addition of free parameters, is successful in accounting for several cosmological findings, including the pattern of recession velocity predicted by inflationary theories, the amounts of matter and dark energy in various segments of redshift, reported in recent ΛCDM cosmologies, the GZK energy suppression phenomenon, and the radius of gravitational black holes. More interestingly, we show that the model, despite being deterministic and local, reproduces the predictions of quantum theory for key quantum phenomena, including matter-wave duality, quantum criticality, quantum entanglement, and the formation of Bose-Einstein condensate. The multiplicity and range of the proposed epistemic model predictions suggests that for inertial systems, mere comparison between physical observations taken at the rest of reference and the information received about the same measurement from another moving reference frame is a potent tool for extracting the laws of nature as they are revealed to us. Put metaphorically, we contend that the hidden secrets of the book of Nature often disclose themselves by leaving fingerprints on the book's cover. From observing the fingerprints, humans and other beings can reconstruct information valuable for their survival.

Physics Essays, 2011

ABSTRACT In this paper, a new concept of light is proposed so that two important unsolved problems of light, viz., invariance of speed of light with respect to motion of source/observer and wave-particle duality, are solved. Although the invariance of speed of light is an experimentally verified fact and is incorporated into the second postulate of a special theory of relativity, it is not compatible with our common experience about matter in motion. However, in this new concept, the invariance of speed of light comes as a natural consequence without violating our common sense. Another advantage of this approach is that it solves the problem of wave-particle duality of light by offering a single picture that explains both the results showing particlelike and wavelike behaviors. (C) 2011 Physics Essays Publication. [DOI: 10.4006/1.3523946]