🚀 go-pugleaf

On Nov 13, 2:13 am, Pentcho Valev <pva...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> http://ias.umn.edu/pdf/TimeandRelativity-Pooley.pdf
> p. 11: "Problem for Lorentz's theory: no sign of ether drift (= motion
> of ether with respect to earth). Many failed attempts to detect ether
> drift, one of the most famous ones by Americans Albert A. Michelson
> (1852-1931) and Edward W. Morley (1838-1923).
> Explanation: compensating effect: length of interferometer arm changes
> as it rotates: parallel to ether drift it is shorter than
> perpendicular to the ether drift
> Contraction (deformation) hypothesis: an object moving with a velocity
> v through the ether contracts by a factor (1-v^2 c^2)^(1/2) in the
> direction of motion."
>
> Another explanation that essentially could have been advanced by
> FitzGerald, Lorentz etc. if they had been less prejudiced in favour of
> the ether theory:
>
> http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00001743/02/Norton.pdf
> John Norton: "Einstein regarded the Michelson-Morley experiment as
> evidence for the principle of relativity, whereas later writers almost
> universally use it as support for the light postulate of special
> relativity......THE MICHELSON-MORLEY EXPERIMENT IS FULLY COMPATIBLE
> WITH AN EMISSION THEORY OF LIGHT THAT CONTRADICTS THE LIGHT
> POSTULATE."
>
> Which explanation would have been more correct?
>
> Pentcho Valev

Pentcho, if you take the time to understand the conventional concepts
of electromagnetic waves and the works of James Clerk Maxwell, there
is simply no reason to persit in the belief that a "luminiferous
aether" exists.  Also, the aether theory has so many holes in it that
it can be dismissed out of hand.  The most notable of these is the
notion that the aether can propagate transverse waves, somthing it
itself that would require the aether to be a solid, since only a solid
media transmits transverse waves, which makes it a bit difficult for
the earth to traverse through it.

Maxwell explained the concept of electromagnetic radiation over a
century ago, and Hertz confirmed it. When you understand it, which is
a rather trivial concept, there is simply no need for archaic aether
theory, except for the terminally brain dead. The basic concept is
rather simple: A time varying magnetic field gives rise to to an
associated time varying electric field. A time varying electric field,
in turn gives rise to a time varying magnetic field. Without even
knowing the mathematics, most people can realize that these two field
effects marry together, and give birth to electromagnetic radiation.
The rest is in the details although even the details are rather
general.  Everything from radio waves, TV signals, light, x-rays, and
gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation.  All follow the same rules
and all have the identical mechanism. Only their wavelengths are
different.

Radio and TV signals can freely propagate through space and be
received on an antenna on top of your home, or can be conducted
through a coaxial cable to our homes. At shorter wavelengths, X-rays
and gamma rays are more difficult to route, manage and control, but to
some extent that is being done today.

At any rate, the theory of the "luminiferous aether" was a good stab
during the 19th century of trying to explain effects that were not
then readily understood, but both the concepts of the Luminerous
Aether and its existance have long been disproven and replaced with
current and more productive concepts.

I hope that this post does not stomp on anyone's toes. It is intended
to be helpful.

Harry C.