dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaThe interpretations by experimenters of experiments on 'time dilation': 1940-1970 circa
| Authors | Ilaria Bonizzoni, Giuseppe Giuliani |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0008012 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0008012 |
Abstract
Experimental tests on `time dilation' began in 1938 with Ives and Stilwell's work of the transverse Doppler effect due to atoms in inertial flight. Rossi and Hall (1941) inaugurated the era of fast moving elementary particles that dominated the scene until the discovery of the Mossbauer effect (1957). This discovery suggested the use of photons emitted without recoil in crystalline solids for testing both time dilation and gravitational red shift. Finally, around 1970, Hafele and Keating dealt again with time dilation by sending macroscopic atomic clocks around the Earth. The interpretations of these experiments by experimenters have been characterized by the use of additional hypotheses not necessary for the formal development of the theories under test (the idea that all clocks measure proper time) or hypotheses completely extraneous to the theories themselves (the idea that atoms are clocks). If these assumptions are dropped, it turns out that the only experiments concerning time dilation are those performed with elementary particles in inertial flight. The historical and epistemological implications are discussed.
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"abstract": "Experimental tests on `time dilation\u0027 began in 1938 with Ives and Stilwell\u0027s\nwork of the transverse Doppler effect due to atoms in inertial flight. Rossi\nand Hall (1941) inaugurated the era of fast moving elementary particles that\ndominated the scene until the discovery of the Mossbauer effect (1957). This\ndiscovery suggested the use of photons emitted without recoil in crystalline\nsolids for testing both time dilation and gravitational red shift. Finally,\naround 1970, Hafele and Keating dealt again with time dilation by sending\nmacroscopic atomic clocks around the Earth. The interpretations of these\nexperiments by experimenters have been characterized by the use of additional\nhypotheses not necessary for the formal development of the theories under test\n(the idea that all clocks measure proper time) or hypotheses completely\nextraneous to the theories themselves (the idea that atoms are clocks). If\nthese assumptions are dropped, it turns out that the only experiments\nconcerning time dilation are those performed with elementary particles in\ninertial flight. The historical and epistemological implications are discussed.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0008012",
"authors": [
"Ilaria Bonizzoni",
"Giuseppe Giuliani"
],
"categories": [
"physics.hist-ph"
],
"title": "The interpretations by experimenters of experiments on \u0027time dilation\u0027: 1940-1970 circa",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0008012"
},
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