Curved space-time (gravity) is treated as a two variable field consisting of space and time, where 'space' is defined as length contraction at each locale in Minkowski 4-space, and 'time' is defined as the rate at which events transpire at each locale in Minkowski 4-space. Equal status is then assigned to each variable. The rationale for this treatment is: 1) Since time acts over the volume, it can be regarded as a 3D entity, despite being a scalar quantity, 2) The influence of a gravitating mass affects length scale and the rate at which time flows by the same proportion at every location under the mass's influence, and 3) With suitable test probes, changes in length scale, and the rate of temporal passage, (at different locations in the space-time continuum), can be measured just as readily as the variables of any other field are measurable using appropriate test devices.
This treatment implies absolutely no change in the physical or mathematical interpretation of General Relativity. The mixing of space and time, as embodied in Special and General Relativity, should in no way be altered by these assumptions. The sole intent of this treatment is to illustrate that there appears no logical reason to exclude Einsteinian gravity from the status of a "field" in the sense of any other field, despite it serving as the canvas upon which all other fields play out, and the fact that its intrinsic 'strength' is some 42 magnitudes weaker than the next strongest field. Also, gravity is considered unique among the forces, in that it arises from the geometry of space-time, which would seem to argue against it being lumped into the category of a field with the other forces of nature. However, if string theory is the correct description of our universe's fundamental workings, then all the forces are, in a real sense, the consequence of geometry - albeit, compactified higher dimensional geometries.
And, most important, for the developement of further arguments, gravity under the rubric of a 'field' is seen to consist of two distinct variables - length and time, although these variables (along with mass) are constrained to change by the same proportionality factor - 1/(1-v2/c2)1/2 - as required in both Special and General Relativity. It also should be mentioned at this juncture that when all the other fields of nature are taken into account a third variable will factor into the gravity field that relates to mass - the postulated Higgs field. But to keep the complexity of this presention within reason this additional detail will be introduced later.
Defining Einsteinian gravity as a field allows us to apply to this field the same rules that are applicable to other fields. Fields, in general, are subject to symmetry translations. A perfect example of such a symmetry translation is the existence of antimatter - the reversal of electric charge and spin for a particle of a given mass. A more complex symmetry is embodied in hypothetical magnetic monopoles. This symmetry translation corresponds to a role transposition between the electric and magnetic variables of Maxwell's unified electromagnetic field. Since all four forces of nature are presumed to constitute the components (or variables) of a Grand Unified Field, it would seem a reasonable conjecture that role exchanges among these fields might be allowed states of nature. Such role exchanges should manifest in the form of exotic new particles that embody these new field structures.
With four fundamental fields (actually three above the electroweak synthesis energy of 90 MeV), multiple transpositions are concievable, each with a corresponding set of exotic particles. Assuming these role transpositions all occur above the 90 MeV energy regime, the permutation rule involving the exchange of pairs of elements obtains as N!, where N=3. This allows for six permutations (role transpositions). Of these six, the role transposition between the electro-magnetic field and space-time field (gravity) is conjectured to be especially significant for quantum mechanical processes. This transposition (and all other transpositions) would entail a reciprocal substitution of the intrinsic variables of each field, and a reciprocal trade of intrinsic field strengths associated with these variables. Such a symmetry translation corresponds to a linear extrapolation of the symmetry seen between electric charges and hypothetical magnetic monopoles. Clearly, this proposed role exchange symmetry must lead to two new fields.
One of these would be quite bizarre, possessing the identical structure (and strength) as Einstein's space-time continuum, but with the space and time variables, respectively, replaced by electric and magnetic variables. The other field would be equally exotic: Since the ratio of strength between gravity and electromagnetism is 42 magnitudes of 10, this other field, possessing the dimensions of gravity, but the structure of Maxwell's field, would be enormously strong. This field would be characterized by the creation of two classes of fundamental quanta; those carrying spatial charge, and those carrying temporal charge - the direct analogue of electric charges, and magnetic monopoles in electromagnetic theory. It then follows that the spatial and temporal fields, associated with these particles, are linked via Maxwell's laws, and the combined field is designated the metrochronetic (MC) field - in direct analogy with Maxwell's electromagnetic field, (where metro is derived from the French metron - to measure, and chronetic is derived from the Greek word chronos - for time).
The 'photon' of this MC field is proposed to correspond to the gravitino in supergravity theory. The MC photon must then have a mass in the supersymmetry energy range (50 GeV - 1TeV), restricting its range to, at most, several magnitudes less than the weak force. MC photons (a.k.a. gravitinos) should constitute a component of the natural vacuum fluctations. In consequence of their great mass they should preferentially materialize in close proximity to massive quantum entities (electrons, quarks, etc), where the concentration of mass/energy gives rise to a large vacuum tension. This cloud of virtual MC photons enveloping fundamental particles of matter should induce cyclical expansions and contractions of the local metric, since the variables of the MC field are length and time with the same intrinsic strength as the electromagnetic field. These, highly localized, expansions and contractions of the metric should, in turn, lead to a set of oscillatory desynchronization of clocks (sync shifts) whose center frequency would be proportional to the mass of the particle. The result is that an observer on board one electron will see all other electrons oscillating between the past and the future (relativity of simultaneity), but averaging to the local present. These oscillatory sync shifts, constituting a "wave packet" associated with every particle, are proposed to be the essence of deBroglie matter waves.
If the average phases of MC induced temporal oscillations modulating two separate electrons were locked they would always see each other in their relative present (and consequently feel one another's electric fields continually). Also, Richard Feynman observed that a positron (positive electron) could be thought of as an ordinary negative electron moving backwards in time. Since 50% of the time an MC mediated temporal wave is flowing backwards in time, an electron under its influence should appear more positive in charge during that interval. Conversely, the forward sweep in time for the other 50% of an MC induced wave cycle should lead to enhancement of the electron's negative charge, so that, overall, the electron's charge polarity is conserved. This would neatly explain how particular portions of outer electron clouds in neighboring atoms can attract one another in chemical bonds in contradiction to the classical rule that like charges repel. This further suggests that the square of the wavefunction (psi), which was interpreted by Max Born as the probability of finding the electron at that point in space, might, in addition, signify the 'distance' the electron is from the local present in either the past or future.
That MC mediated temporal waves cyclically flow equally into the future and the past, implies that electron transitions between orbits will result in the evolution of an equal mix of retarded and advanced electromagnetic waves during these transitions. The existence of advanced EM waves, along with the usual retarded EM waves provides the foundation for John Cramer's Transactional Hypothesis - a quantized version of the Wheeler-Feynman Absorber Theory. Cramer noted that the fully relativised Schrodinger equation, describing the wavefunction for orbiting electrons, has two solutions - one corresponding to the flow of positive energy into the future, and the other to negative energy flowing into the past. But, while bi-temporality is embodied in both Maxwell's equations, and the Schrodinger wave equation, no explicit mechanism is provided for this behavior. If the MC field is a correct description of the nature of the supergravity field, and related assumptions are valid, then vacuum derived virtual gravitinos may constitute the physical mechanism behind bi-temporal EM emissions from quantum oscillators.
In 1992 a Russian emigre materials scientist working in Finland, Eugene Podkletnov, claimed to produce a "gravity shielding" effect from a spinning high temperature superconducting disc. This report was met with skeptism, mainly because the claimed effect was some ten billion times greater than the predicted strength of the gravitomagnetic field that might arise from spinning lattice ions within the superconducting disc. Since the conjectured MC field has the dimensions of gravity, but possesses 42 magnitudes greater intrinsic strength, it would seem apparent that if this field were not perfectly balanced (nulled out), and this imbalance was magnified by large scale coherent MC induced temporal oscillations (deBroglie waves), then measurable coupling to gravity might result. Mitigating against this assumption is that the proposed MC photons are entirely virtual. However, more conventional virtual photons are responsible for the Casimir Effect - a real measurable force. These ideas are further developed at the link titled "deBroglie Waves" near the bottom of the page, while an older version is at the link "Field Interchange Hypothesis" that neglected to consider the required large mass of the MC photon.
Tuesday 17 November 09: Electrically shocked system with dummy aluminum blank, sustituting for superconductor, to evaluate EM noise level. To discharge the capacitors, simply made manual contact with wires, producing a hefty spark, at almost 300 volts. Noise turned out to be 4 millivolts AC. This is much less than expected, and further reduction should be obtainable with shielding, and better layout. Am ordering an SCR, to eliminate open spark. Meissner effect observed when neodyium magnet became pinned above upper copper anode embracing superconductor.
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Two more views of crystat, with copper-clad pc conductors on either side of YBCO disc is shown below; latest variant on right.
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Experimental Ideas
The recent (2003-2007) detection of acceleration fields, by a research team in Siebersdorf, Austria, around a ring shaped niobium superconductor, could be as propituous an event as Henri Becquerel's discorvery of radioactivity in 1896. Curiously, as with the early study of radioactivity, this discovery seems to violate conservation of energy, suggesting that new physics outside the Standard Model is at work here. The researchers, led by Martin Tajmar, were motivated by a discrepancy in the mass of cooper pairs, reported by Janet Tate in 1989. To explain this discrepancy it was postulated that a graviton with a very small mass is generated in superconductors, enhancing the long predicted gravitomagnetic and gravitoelectric fields to detectable levels in these materials. The acceleration signal detected was opposite in direction to the acceleration applied to the ring, and 30 magnitudes larger than general relativity predicts. This acceleration signal was in the tangential plane of the spinning disk, and assumed to be a gravitoelectric field induced by a time-varying gravitomagnetic field.
In July, 2007 the researchers published a new paper "Search for Frame-Dragging in the Vicinity of Spinning Superconductors", which involved the use of laser gyroscopes to detect the gravitomagnetic field directly. The results were completely unexpected, and cast serious doubt on the combined gravitoelectric-gravitomagnetic explanation. First, the signal detected by the gyroscopes was only 1% of the expected value. Second, the signal only appears when the sample is spun in the clockwise direction, violating parity. Third, the signal strength is actually greatest at the detector furthest from the spinning ring, thus not following an inverse square law, as would have been expected from a gravitomagnetic field ( though, it is mentioned that the gyros only measure the Z component, and because of their size are not ideal for measuring field distributions). Fourth, sample rings of niobium and YBCO were tested, and surprisingly showed less signal than the circular aluminum sample holder, which produced a signal even above its critical temperature. The researchers speculate that the aluminum sample holder may have introduced vibrations that caused an offset in the gyros.
Despite the ambiguities in the gyroscope measurements, the accelerometer signals seem to be on much more solid ground, and it's worth reviewing their experimental setup to decide if a simpler, and cheaper, version of their of their experiment is feasible. In particular, it would be much less costly to use a YBCO superconductor, so that liquid nitrogen could be used in place of liquid helium. The 14.4 centimeter ring was spun up from 0 to 4500 RPM in 1 second. A point on the outer portion of the ring therefore traveled about 17 meters in this interval. This actually corresponds to a modest acceleration of only about 11 gs. Niobium was chosen since its cooper pair density is about 20 times greater than for the high temperature ceramic types like YBCO. The field detected was proportional both to the applied acceleration and cooper pair density (which varied with the superconductors temperature). Also, no field was detected when a YBCO ring was substituted, at both liquid nitrogen and liquid helium temperatures (the latter as a control check). This was expected since the cooper-pair density of YBCO would bring the signal below the noise level of the sensors. The signal was sampled at 10 hertz, using an accelerometer insensitive to magnetic fields (to avoid false readings from the electric motor driving the ring).
For amateur experimenters these facts suggest possible ways to detect these anomalous acceleration fields at a modest investment in materials and equipment. Small one inch YBCO superconductors are readily available from a number of suppliers (but I plan to use a somewhat larger rod shaped YBCO superconductor, if available, for signal enhancement). Since YBCO's cooper pair density is 1/20th that of niobium, in principle, you need to wham it with 220 g's to yield the same acceleration field. An alternative to rotating the superconductor is to accelerate it along a linear trajectory, either using guide rails, or air pressure in a PVC tube, a few inches in diameter. The drawback, relative to the rotating ring, is that the fixed acceleration sensor is only in close proximity to the superconductor for a brief instant, versus the constant distance maintained from a rotating ring. Also, the typical 1 inch YBCO superconductor is a small fraction in size and weight of the niobium ring used by the Siebersdorf group, hence the plan to use a larger piece of YBCO than traditional kits provide.
If the response time of the sensor used in their experiment is fast enough, it might just be possible to pick up a signal. In 10 milliseconds, at 220 g's, an object will traverse, from a standing start, a distance of 22 millimeters. The sensor in the Siebersdorf experiment was a constant distance of 36 millimeters from the ring. So, if the sensor employed by the ARC team can resolve a signal in an interval of 10 milliseconds, it might be feasible. To improve signal persistence, at the detector location, an elongated rod shaped YBCO superconductor would be desirable, so the sensor is in proximity to the superconductor for a longer interval. The commercial accelerometer used in their experiment (Colibrys Si-Flex SF1500S) cost about $600, and was chosen due to its insensitivity to magnetic fields, that otherwise would have swamped the signal they were looking for. A much less expensive ($200) accelerometer that they considered - Silicon Designs 1221L-02 - is the one I plan to use, since air pressure, and a manually operated valve will substitute for the electric motor to accelerate the superconductor. I will use an interrrupted light beam to accurately time the movement of the superconductor, and thus to correlate it with any sensor signal. The sensor will also be moved to different locations on separate runs.
Another concern is possible degradation in the performance of the YBCO superconductor when subjected to ten times the acceleration as was used in the Siebersdorf experiment, due to compressional stress, and frictional heating. The friction could be mitigated by enclosing the rod shaped superconductor in a teflon shell, and the whole structure cooled to liquid nitrogen temperatures prior to insertion in the air cannon.. The superconductor would then not be in direct contact with the tube walls. This website will report progress on this planned experiment, which will be conducted in the lab I share with my colleague at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, but purely as an out-of-pocket, after-hours venture.
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Full Text of "The Field Interchange Hypothesis" |