🚀 go-pugleaf

Wolfgang G. Gasser says...

>Let us assume a relative speed of v = 0.99995 c (with gamma = 100)
>of each observer with respect to the other. Deviation from inertial
>motion can be made as small as we like by choosing a large enough
>radius of the orbit in relation to the height of the light clock.

If the clocks are in circular orbits, then deviation from inertial
motion is *not* negligible. What you mean is that you can make the
acceleration negligible by choosing a large enough radius. But the
effect of noninertiality in relativity is *not* proportional to the
magnitude of the acceleration.

Are you assuming that the clocks are held in orbit by gravity, or
perhaps by a long string? If it involves gravity, then the problem
needs to be solved using General Relativity. If they are held together
by a long string (or by carefully aimed rockets), then best way to
analyze this particular situation is to use the inertial reference
frame of the center of the orbit.

What is *not* legitimate is to use the Lorentz transformations,
because those are only valid for transformations between inertial
coordinate systems.

--
Daryl McCullough
Ithaca, NY