Kündig's experiment on the transverse Doppler shift re-analyzed

Abstract

In this paper, we re-analyze the ingenious experiment by Kündig (measurement of the transverse Doppler shift by means of the Mössbauer effect) and show that a correct processing of experimental data gives a relative energy shift E/E of the absorption line different from the value of classically assumed relativistic time dilation for a rotating resonant absorber. Namely, instead of the relative energy shift E/E = −(1.0065 ± 0.011)v 2 /2c 2 reported by Kündig (v being the linear velocity of absorber and c being the light velocity in vacuum), we derive from his results E/E = −(1.192 ± 0.011)v 2 /2c 2 . We are inclined to think that the revealed deviation of E/E from relativistic prediction cannot be explained by any instrumental error and thus represents a physical effect. In particular, we assume that the energy shift of the absorption resonant line is induced not only by the standard time dilation effect, but also by some additional effect missed at the moment, and related perhaps to the fact that resonant nuclei in the rotating absorber represent a macroscopic quantum system and cannot be considered as freely moving particles.

Clock hypothesis of relativity theory, maximal acceleration, and Mössbauer spectroscopy

“…The values for a m which agree within these errors are three orders of magnitude larger than the value of 1 · 10 19 m/s 2 derived from the rotor experiments [20], [21], [22]. At low temperatures…”

Novel Mössbauer experiment in a rotating system and the extra-energy shift between emission and absorption lines

“…79 065007), and once again strongly pointed to the inequality k>0.5, revealed originally in (A.L. Kholmetskii et al 2008 Phys. Scr.…”

“…At the same time, the uncertainty in the determination of k in our experiment is still 3.5 times larger, than the measurement uncertainty of Kündig experiment, as we reanalyzed (ref. [10]). Such is the cost, which we have paid for the elimination of influence of vibrations via the data processing procedure with two different resonant absorbers (we remind that in the Kündig experiment, the influence of vibrations had been eliminated at the instrumental level).…”

“…Taking the result of Kündig experiment, which we have reanalyzed and accordingly corrected in ref. [10] (k=0.5960.006), as the most reliable result, they estimated the maximal acceleration as [16] a m 10 19 m/s 2 .…”

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

“…In [1] they found that the original experiment by Kündig [3] contained errors in the data processing. A puzzling fact is that, after correction of the errors of Kündig, the experimental data gave the value [1] …”