Title: The global positioning system and the Lorentz transformation
Abstract: The Global Positioning System has been hailed as one of the great triumphs of relativity theory. It is based on the principle that the rates of atomic clocks are affected in a well-defined manner by changes in their relative velocity to the Earth and their position in a gravitational field. It also is consistent with the modern definition of the meter as the distance light travels in free space in c -1 seconds. Two experiments carried out on GPS satellites are considered that provide further crucial tests of Einstein's special theory of relativity (STR), in particular of its prediction of the non-simultaneity of physical events and Fitzgerald-Lorentz contraction (FLC) of objects in relative motion to the observer. Each of them leads to a contradiction of the Lorentz space-time transformation that is generally considered to be the fundamental basis of STR. The results are consistent with the relativistic velocity transformation, however, and also do not stand in contradiction to the Lorentz invariance of the electromagnetic field, both of which have a clear experimental basis in contrast to the FLC and non- simultaneity. They also do not violate either of Einstein's two fundamental postulates, Galileo's relativity principle and the
Publication Year: 2008
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 13
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