Whitehead contra Einstein

Reinhardt, M.; Rosenblum, Arnold

doi:10.1016/0375-9601(74)90425-3

Cited by 11 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…We can now use Equation (12) to calculate (to first order in V /c) the acceleration of a test particle located at P at time t. A straightforward calculation of the retarded terms yields:…”

Section: A Source Moving At Constant Speedmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Flyby Anomaly in an Extended Whitehead’s Theory

Acedo

2015

Galaxies

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In this paper, we consider an extended version of Whitehead's theory of gravity in connection with the flyby anomaly. Whitehead's theory is a linear approximation defined in a background Minkowski spacetime, which gives the same solutions as standard general relativity for the Schwarzschild and Kerr metrics cast in Kerr-Schild coordinates. For a long time and because it gives the same results for the three classical tests-perihelion advance, light bending and gravitational redshift-it was considered a viable alternative to general relativity, but as it is really a linear approximation, it fails in more stringent tests. The model considered in this paper is a formal generalization of Whitehead's theory, including all possible bilinear forms. In the resulting theory, a circulating vector field of force in the low velocities' approximation for a rotating planet is deduced, in addition to Newtonian gravity. This extra force gives rise to small variations in the asymptotic velocities of flybys around the Earth to be compared to the recently reported flyby anomaly.

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“…We can now use Equation (12) to calculate (to first order in V /c) the acceleration of a test particle located at P at time t. A straightforward calculation of the retarded terms yields:…”

Section: A Source Moving At Constant Speedmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For all of these reasons, Whitehead's theory has been greatly valued for many decades after its formulation in 1922 [2,11,12]. Thirty years later, a series of lectures was given by Synge, who still recognized this alternative as a serious contender to GR as the fundamental theory of gravity [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Flyby Anomaly in an Extended Whitehead’s Theory

Acedo

2015

Galaxies

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“…In contrast with the General Theory of Relativity of Einstein, this tensor has nothing to do with the structure of space-time. The theory of Whitehead has received attention and even praise many years after its formulation [33][34][35] but it is now clear that it cannot be a serious contender to General Relativity, particularly in what concerns gravity waves [36]. Anyway, as a toy model of gravity it can still provide some insights into local phenomena in the scale of the Solar system.…”

Section: An Extended Whitehead's Gravity Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Angular Momentum and Energy Transfer in a Whitehead's Theory of Gravity

Acedo¹

2018

Preprint

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In this paper, we revisit a modified version of the classical Whitehead's theory of gravity in which all possible bilinear forms are considered to define the corresponding metric. Although, this is a linear theory that fails to give accurate results for the most sophisticated predictions of general relativity, such as gravity waves, it can still provide a convenient framework to analyze some new phenomena in the Solar System. In particular, recent development in the accurate tracking of spacecraft and the ephemerides of planetary positions have revealed certain anomalies in relation with our standard paradigm for celestial mechanics. Among them the so-called flyby anomaly and the anomalous increase of the astronomical unit play a prominent role. In the first case the total energy of the spacecraft changes during the flyby and a secular variation of the semi-major axis of the planetary orbits is found in the second anomaly. For this to happen it seems that a net energy and angular momentum transfer is taken place among the orbiting and the central body. We evaluate the total transfer per revolution for a planet orbiting the Sun in order to predict the astronomical unit anomaly in the context of Whitehead's theory. This could lead to a more deeply founded hypothesis for an extended gravity model.

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“…In 1952, J. L. Synge [10] presented an explicit form for Whitehead's metric for a field generated by several sources. From that time until the present, there is a difference of opinion whether Whitehead's theory of gravitation violates experimental tests, see [11][12][13] and references therein.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relativistic Gravitation Based on Symmetry

Friedman

2020

Symmetry

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We present a Relativistic Newtonian Dynamics ( R N D ) for motion of objects in a gravitational field generated by a moving source. As in General Relativity ( G R ), we assume that objects move by a geodesic with respect to some metric, which is defined by the field. This metric is defined on flat lab spacetime and is derived using only symmetry, the fact that the field propagates with the speed of light, and the Newtonian limit. For a field of a single source, the influenced direction of the field at spacetime point x is defined as the direction from x to the to the position of the source at the retarded time. The metric depends only on this direction and the strength of the field at x. We show that for a static source, the R N D metric is of the same form as the Whitehead metric, and the Schwarzschild metric in Eddington–Finkelstein coordinates. Motion predicted under this model passes all classical tests of G R . Moreover, in this model, the total time for a round trip of light is as predicted by G R , but velocities of light and object and time dilation differ from the G R predictions. For example, light rays propagating toward the massive object do not slow down. The new time dilation prediction could be observed by measuring the relativistic redshift for stars near a black hole and for sungrazing comets. Terrestrial experiments to test speed of light predictions and the relativistic redshift are proposed. The R N D model is similar to Whitehead’s gravitation model for a static field, but its proposed extension to the non-static case is different. This extension uses a complex four-potential description of fields propagating with the speed of light.

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Whitehead contra Einstein

Cited by 11 publications

References 5 publications

The Flyby Anomaly in an Extended Whitehead’s Theory

The Flyby Anomaly in an Extended Whitehead’s Theory

Angular Momentum and Energy Transfer in a Whitehead's Theory of Gravity

Relativistic Gravitation Based on Symmetry

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