Interpretation of Mössbauer experiment in a rotating system: A new proof for general relativity

Abstract

A historical experiment by Kündig on the transverse Doppler shift in a rotating system measured with the Mössbauer effect (Mössbauer rotor experiment) has been recently first re-analyzed and then replied by an experimental research group. The results of re-analyzing the experiment have shown that a correct re-processing of Kündig's experimental data gives an interesting deviation of a relative redshift between emission and absorption resonant lines from the standard prediction based on the relativistic dilatation of time. That prediction gives a redshiftwhere v is the tangential velocity of the absorber of resonant radiation, c is the velocity of light in vacuum and the result is given to the accuracy of first-order in v 2 c 2 . Data re-processing gave ∇E E ≃ −k v 2 c 2 with k = 0.596 ± 0.006. Subsequent new experimental results by the reply of Kündig experiment have shown a redshift with k = 0.68 ± 0.03 instead.By using Einstein Equivalence Principle, which states the equivalence between the gravitational "force" and the pseudo-force experienced by an observer in a non-inertial frame of reference (included a rotating frame of reference) here we re-analyze the theoretical framework of Mössbauer rotor experiments directly in the rotating frame of reference by using a general relativistic treatment. It will be shown that previous analyses missed an 1 important effect of clock synchronization and that the correct general relativistic prevision in the rotating frame gives k ≃ 2 3 in perfect agreement with the new experimental results. Such an effect of clock synchronization has been missed in various papers in the literature with some subsequent claim of invalidity of relativity theory and/or some attempts to explain the experimental results through "exotic" effects. Our general relativistic interpretation shows, instead, that the new experimental results of the Mössbauer rotor experiment are a new, strong and independent, proof of Einstein general relativity.In the final Section of the paper we discuss an analogy with the use of General Relativity in Global Positioning Systems.

Concerning Mössbauer experiments in a rotating system and their physical interpretation

“…Hence, using our re-estimation of the result by Kündig (3) (9) is many orders of magnitude smaller than the purported fundamental limit of maximal acceleration (7). At the same time, one can agree with Friedman et al that only experiments can shed light on the actual value of a m , if it exists.…”

“…with l p =1.6210 -35 m being the Planck length. Contrary to the fundamental estimation (7), Friedman et al assumed ad hoc that the actual value of a posited maximal acceleration is much smaller than (7), and its value, they deemed, can be determined in the Mössbauer rotor experiment through the measurement of the coefficient k, which should depend on a m via the relationship [2,3] m ra c k…”

“…[12], we have shown that these repetitious claims are devoid of sense, and they lead to a contradiction with classical causality where two observers, as defined above, should fix different total numbers of detected -quanta after the completion of any measurement run. Nevertheless, the authors of [22] again chose to overlook our papers [8,12] which disclose the errors by Corda in [7,11]. Even so, starting with the self-titled "interesting Corda approach" Iovane and Benedetti formulate the goal of their paper [22] to explore, how "…the term he has found is linked to the difference between coordinate and local velocity of light".…”

Comment on “New proof of general relativity through the correct physical interpretation of the Mössbauer rotor experiment” by C. Corda

“…However, as we have shown in [8], the rectified reprocessing of the data published by Kündig [9] and Champeney et al [10], motivated by the original prediction made by T. Yarman [11], rather leads to the inequality k0.6, (2) and the difference from the relativistic prediction k=0.5 exceeds by at least 10 times the measurement uncertainty reported by the authors of these experiments (0.01).The finding (2) had been successfully verified in two recent experiments conducted by our team, thence leading to k=0.660.03 [3,4] (3) andk=0.690.02 [5,6].(4) The results (2)-(4) indicate that the measured energy shift between an emitted and a received radiation in a rotating system is defined not only by the ordinary relativistic dilation of time for an orbiting resonant absorber, but does furthermore entail an additional effect, which is responsible for the extra-energy shift (hereinafter abbreviated as the EES) between emission and absorption lines; thus constituting about 30 % deviation from the expected relativistic value k=0.5.These findings stimulated scientists for a search of the physical origin of the EES, and one of the first attempts to provide its physical interpretation had been presented by C. Corda in ref. [2], and now rehashed in the present publication [1]. According to him, all preceding analyses of Mössbauer rotor experiments, which predicted the value k=0.5 in eq.…”

“…In a recent paper by C. Corda [1] which essentially repeats his previous publication [2] the author once more claims that the outcomes of recent experiments conducted by our team towards the measurement of the Mössbauer effect in a rotating system [3][4][5][6] represent "…a new, strong and independent, proof of general relativity".…”