34 research outputs found
Missing Transverse-Doppler Effect in Time-Dilation Experiments with High-Speed Ions
Recent experiments with high-speed ions have investigated potential
deviations from the time-dilation predicted by special relativity (SR). The
main contribution of this article is to show that the SR predictions are
matched by the experimental results only when the transverse Doppler effect in
the observed emissions from the ions are neglected in the analysis. However,
the Doppler effect in the emission cannot be neglected because it is similar to
the time dilation effect. Thus, the article highlights the need to consider
Doppler emission effects when validating SR time dilation using high-speed ion
experiments.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure
Rotating Resonator-Oscillator Experiments to Test Lorentz Invariance in Electrodynamics
In this work we outline the two most commonly used test theories (RMS and
SME) for testing Local Lorentz Invariance (LLI) of the photon. Then we develop
the general framework of applying these test theories to resonator experiments
with an emphasis on rotating experiments in the laboratory. We compare the
inherent sensitivity factors of common experiments and propose some new
configurations. Finally we apply the test theories to the rotating cryogenic
experiment at the University of Western Australia, which recently set new
limits in both the RMS and SME frameworks [hep-ph/0506074].Comment: Submitted to Lecture Notes in Physics, 36 pages, minor modifications,
updated list of reference
Recent Experimental Tests of Special Relativity
We review our recent Michelson-Morley (MM) and Kennedy-Thorndike (KT)
experiment, which tests Lorentz invariance in the photon sector, and report
first results of our ongoing atomic clock test of Lorentz invariance in the
matter sector. The MM-KT experiment compares a cryogenic microwave resonator to
a hydrogen maser, and has set the most stringent limit on a number of
parameters in alternative theories to special relativity. We also report first
results of a test of Lorentz invariance in the SME (Standard Model Extension)
matter sector, using Zeeman transitions in a laser cooled Cs atomic fountain
clock. We describe the experiment together with the theoretical model and
analysis. Recent experimental results are presented and we give a first
estimate of components of the parameters of the SME matter
sector. A full analysis of systematic effects is still in progress, and will be
the subject of a future publication together with our final results. If
confirmed, the present limits would correspond to first ever measurements of
some components, and improvements by 11 and 14 orders of
magnitude on others.Comment: 29 pages. Contribution to Springer Lecture Notes, "Special Relativity
- Will it survive the next 100 years ?", Proceedings, Potsdam, 200
Comment on "Missing Transverse-Doppler Effect in Time-Dilation Experiments with High-Speed Ions"
In an article "Missing Transverse-Doppler Effect in Time-Dilation Experiments
with High-Speed Ions" by S. Devasia [arXiv:1003.2970v1], our recent Doppler
shift experiments on fast ion beams are reanalyzed. Contrary to our analysis,
Devasia concludes that our results provide an "indication of Lorentz
violation". We argue that this conclusion is based on a fundamental
misunderstanding of our experimental scheme and reiterate that our results are
in excellent agreement with Special Relativity
A re-interpretation of the concept of mass and of the relativistic mass-energy relation
For over a century the definitions of mass and derivations of its relation
with energy continue to be elaborated, demonstrating that the concept of mass
is still not satisfactorily understood. The aim of this study is to show that,
starting from the properties of Minkowski spacetime and from the principle of
least action, energy expresses the property of inertia of a body. This implies
that inertial mass can only be the object of a definition - the so called
mass-energy relation - aimed at measuring energy in different units, more
suitable to describe the huge amount of it enclosed in what we call the
"rest-energy" of a body. Likewise, the concept of gravitational mass becomes
unnecessary, being replaceable by energy, thus making the weak equivalence
principle intrinsically verified. In dealing with mass, a new unit of
measurement is foretold for it, which relies on the de Broglie frequency of
atoms, the value of which can today be measured with an accuracy of a few parts
in 10^9
Orbital Observations of Dust Lofted by Daytime Convective Turbulence
Over the past several decades, orbital observations of lofted dust have revealed the importance of mineral aerosols as a climate forcing mechanism on both Earth and Mars. Increasingly detailed and diverse data sets have provided an ever-improving understanding of dust sources, transport pathways, and sinks on both planets, but the role of dust in modulating atmospheric processes is complex and not always well understood. We present a review of orbital observations of entrained dust on Earth and Mars, particularly that produced by the dust-laden structures produced by daytime convective turbulence called “dust devils”. On Earth, dust devils are thought to contribute only a small fraction of the atmospheric dust budget; accordingly, there are not yet any published accounts of their occurrence from orbit. In contrast, dust devils on Mars are thought to account for several tens of percent of the planet’s atmospheric dust budget; the literature regarding martian dust devils is quite rich. Because terrestrial dust devils may temporarily contribute significantly to local dust loading and lowered air quality, we suggest that martian dust devil studies may inform future studies of convectively-lofted dust on Earth