1977/05/01 by P. F. Browne · 1 citation
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · Mathematics · #Geophysics and Sensor Technology #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Physics #Rotation (mathematics) #Theory of relativity #Classical mechanics #Precession #Sagnac effect #Circular motion #Curvature #Motion (physics) #Geometry #Mathematics #Quantum mechanics #Gyroscope
paper · doi:10.1088/0305-4470/10/5/007
openalex publication_date 1977/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
A convention for light velocity as a function of the coordinates fixes the geometry of space-time; alternatively, a convention for geometry fixes light velocity. The latter type of convention permits the use of flat space-time, but global distances and time are given by non-holonomic expressions, which amounts to measuring such distances and times in terms of coordinate-dependent units. The relativity of rotation is discussed with the convention of flat space-time. Effects examined include the Thomas precession, the Ehrenfest paradox, the curvature of light rays relative to rotating universes (isolated systems) but not with respect to rotating local systems, the clock paradox for circular motion, the time difference measured in the Hafele-Keating experiment, the Sagnac effect, and the magnetic-type gravitational fields that arise in rotating frames of reference (for the convention of flat space-time).