2021/09/22 by G. Koekoek, Koekoek, Gideon, J.W. van Holten +3
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #FOS: Physical sciences #General Physics (physics.gen-ph) #Mathematics and Applications #Relativity and Gravitational Theory
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2109.11925
openalex publication_date 2021/09/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Following an early observation of Ignatowsky, we present a derivation of the transformation rules between inertial systems making no other assumptions than the existence of the latter, and show that generically these rules are characterized by a constant of nature with the dimensions of an inverse velocity squared having the same value in all inertial frames. No independent postulate of the existence of an absolute velocity for light waves or other carriers of physical information is necessary. Aside from the usual Lorentz- and galilean transformations, our analysis also allows for the existence of four-dimensional Euclidian transformation rules between inertial systems.