2012/02/13 by Galina Weinstein, Weinstein, Galina
Physics and Astronomy · #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #FOS: Physical sciences #History and Developments in Astronomy #History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph) #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #physics.hist-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1202.2791
Series of papers on General Relativity which are the product of my work during my stay at the Center for Einstein Studies in Boston University
arxiv created 2012/02/13 · openalex publication_date 2012/02/13 · arxiv updated 2012/02/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In December 1911, Max Abraham published a paper on gravitation at the basis of which was Albert Einstein's 1911 June conclusion about a relationship between the velocity of light and the gravitational potential. In February 1912, Einstein published his work on static gravitational fields, which was based on his 1911 June theory. In March 1912, Einstein corrected his paper, but Abraham claimed that Einstein borrowed his equations; however, it was actually Abraham who needed Einstein's ideas and not the other way round. Einstein thought that Abraham converted to his theory of static fields while Abraham presumed exactly the opposite. Einstein then moved to Zurich and switched to new mathematical tools. He examined various candidates for generally covariant field equations, and already considered the field equations of his general theory of relativity about three years before he published them in November 1915. However, he discarded these equations only to return to them more than three years later. Einstein's 1912 theory of static fields finally led him to reject the generally covariant field equations and to develop limited generally covariant field equations.