Two recently proposed experiments by Kolen and Torr (K-T), designed to detect possible failures of Einstein's special relativity (SR) are analyzed. Imprecisions in these papers are pointed out. Computation in Lorentz aether theory (LAT), with the K-T violation of SR, of the theoretical prediction for the proposed K-T clock experiment prove their results to be incorrect. Analytical computation of the proposed K-T rotor Doppler experiment using LAT confirms the order of magnitude of their prediction by numerical computation. For LAT in (...) the K-T form, this experiment, using a turntable, is shown to give results which could be detected with the technology of 20 years ago. Another LAT model is considered which leads to deviations of SR smaller than in the K-T model. The central point of the approach adopted in this paper is the use of Einstein's coordinates in the comoving frame, even when SR is violated, leading always to isotropic propagation of light in vacuum; the anisotropy usually obtained in LAT is only a coordinate effect. (shrink)

The purpose of the present paper is to reply to a misleading paper by M. Sachs entitled “Einstein's later view of the Twin Paradox” (TP) (Found. Phys. 15, 977 (1985)). There, by selecting some passages from Einstein's papers, he tried to convince the reader that Einstein changed his mind regarding the asymmetric aging of the twins on different motions. Also Sachs insinuates that he presented several years ago “convincing mathematical arguments” proving that the theory of relativity does not predict asymmetrical (...) aging in the TP. Here we give a definitive treatment to the clocks problem showing that Sachs' “convincing mathematical arguments” are non sequitur. Also, by properly quoting Einstein, we show that his later view of the TP coincides with the one derived from the rigorous theory of time developed in this paper. (shrink)

Special Relativity can be based on the whole proper group of both ortho- and antichronous Lorentz transformations, and a clear physical meaning can be given also to antichronous (i.e., nonorthochronous) Lorentz transformations. From the active point of view, the latter requires existence, for any particle, of its antiparticle within a purely relativistic, classical context. From the passive point of view, they give rise to frames “dual” to the ordinary ones, whose properties—here briefly discussed—are linked with the fact that in relativity (...) it is impossible to teach another, far observer (by transmitting only instructions, and no physical objects) our own conventions about the choices right/left, matter/antimatter, and positive/negative time direction. Interesting considerations follow, in particular, by considering—as it is the case—theCPT operation as an actual (even if antichronous) Lorentz transformation. (shrink)

We present the theory, the experimental evidence and fundamental physical consequences concerning the existence of families of undistorted progressive waves (UPWs) of arbitrary speeds 0≤ϑ<∞, which are solutions of the homogeneuous wave equation, the Maxwell equations, and Dirac, Weyl, and Klein-Gordon equations.

In this paper we formulate Einstein's gravitational theory with the Clifford bundle formalism. The formalism suggests interpreting the gravitational field in the sense of Faraday, i.e., with the field residing in Minkowski spacetime. We succeeded in discovering the condition for this interpretation to hold. For the variables that play the role of the gravitational field in our theory, the Lagrangian density turns out to be of the Yang-Mills type (with an auto-interaction plus gauge-fixing terms). We give a brief comparison of (...) our theory with other field theories of the gravitational field in the flat Minkowski spacetime. (shrink)

In this paper—dedicated to Prof. Asim O. Barut—we generalize the Diracnon-linear electrodynamics by introducing two potentials(namely, the vector potential A and the pseudo-vector potential γ5B of the electromagnetic theorywith charges and magnetic monopoles) and by imposing the pseudoscalar part of the product ωω* to be zero, with ω≡A+γ5B. We show that the field equations of such a theory possess a soliton-like solution which can representa priori a “charged particle,” since it is endowed with a Coulomb field plus the field of (...) a magneticdipole. The rest energy of the soliton is finite, and the angular momentum stored in its electromagnetic field can be identified—for suitable choices of the parameters—with the spin of the charged particle. Thus, this approach seems to yield a classical model for the charged (spinning) particle which does not encounter the problems met by earlier attempts in the same direction. (shrink)

We give a precise and modern mathematical characterization of the Newtonian spacetime structure (ℕ). Our formulation clarifies the concepts of absolute space, Newton's relative spaces, and absolute time. The concept of reference frames (which are “timelike” vector fields on ℕ) plays a fundamental role in our approach, and the classification of all possible reference frames on ℕ is investigated in detail. We succeed in identifying a Lorentzian structure on ℕ and we study the classical electrodynamics of Maxwell and Lorentz relative (...) to this structure, obtaining the important result that there exists only one intrinsic generalization of the Lorentz force law which is compatible with Maxwell equations. This is at variance with other proposed intrinsic generalizations of the Lorentz force law appearing in the literature. We present also a formulation of Newtonian gravitational theory as a curve spacetime theory and discuss its meaning. (shrink)