Einstein believed there was no need for an ether – a Propagation Medium (PM) or substance required to propagate light waves, similar to water waves requiring water. But there is a fundamental problem with Einstein’s description, an ether-less universe is not possible. It is not supported by Maxwell’s PM and his field equations (1865). Einstein’s ether-less claims, based on no PM, are non causal and cannot be measured. A New Relativity (NR) theory rejects Einstein’s ether-less predictions that have never been observed and solves the general electromagnetic wave equation for both sources and observers in motion for the first time. NR refers all motions to the PM, predicts Einstein’s medium based observations, based on Maxwell’s PM and Lorentz’s medium based motional transform, and distinguishes between measured source and observer motional properties, which Einstein’s relativity cannot do.
Einstein concluded that there was no need for a propagation medium (ether) in his Special Relativity (SR)(1905), in spite of Maxwell’s and Lorentz’s medium based theories. There are many suggestions offered for his beliefs: i) The Michelson and Morley Experiment (MMX) (1887) revealed there was no effect on light propagating on Earth as it moved through space. ii) The speed of light did not change (was invariant) relative to an observer moving through the PM. iii) Bradley’s (1725) stellar aberration appearing to discredit the medium. iv) Inability to distinguish between measured differences between sources and observers in motion, believing there was no difference between stationary and constantly moving (inertial) frames, such as colliding systems, or motion between a magnet and an attracting metal plate, any could be considered to move.
Further, v) Believing that predictions from the medium based Lorentz transform could support Einstein’s ether-less relativity. vi) Over estimating relativistic and gravitational effects, which are small compared with the classical motional effect, at Earth speeds, gravitational strengths and short integration times. All these apparently indistinguishable motions helped convince Einstein that only inertial frames and relative motion between systems were meaningful.
NR describes the first two effects quite naturally based on a PM. In the first case the PM moves with the Earth’s surface via a unique PM entrainment model, and in the second case, space shrinks both time and space by the same ratio maintaining the speed of light in the moving frame. All these well established experiments attributed to relativistic and ether-less effects: MMX, Bradley, Sagnac (1913), Michelson and Gale (M&G) (1925), Saburi et al (1976), Reasenburg et al (1979) and GPS (1992), are all in fact shown to be predicted by classical medium based Propagation Time Asymmetry (PTA), not by Einstein’s ether-less Propagation Time Symmetry (PTS). M&G, which was regarded as the final demise of medium based theories, and all the others are medium based.
Light and gravity are also found to be two forms of the same electric field using the same propagation medium. Although Einstein claimed there was no medium, he actually used one in his field equations, making his predictions causal. Therefore Einstein’s predictions are based on a medium, not on an ether-less Universe, as he claimed. In fact, light is not attracted by gravity, it bends as it passes through the compressed medium. Believing there was no medium, Einstein could not distinguish between sources (satellites) and observers (telescopes) in motion, a third reference frame (medium) is needed.
Einstein’s Special Relativity (SR) (1905) and General Relativity (GR) (1915) are shown to be based on a propagation medium which is why they are able to predict measured results. However, wave theorists find Einstein’s ether-less claims as irrational (non causal). There is a fundamental requirement, confirmed by measurement, that all waves need a propagation medium to propagate and to make their wave equation causal (predictable).
Maxwell’s EM wave equation can be readily derived and solved using the classical medium based wave equation modified by the Lorentz motional transform (LT) (1889), demonstrating the medium’s presence and necessity. Not recognizing the medium, Einstein’s ether-less aspect of SR is unable to satisfy the general wave equation, not enabling ether-less SR to distinguish between source and observer motion. Relative motion between a source (action or event) and an observer (detector), without a medium, has no meaning in Maxwell’s wave theory or the mass-less particle equivalent.
The new medium based propagation model around planets, portrayed by the Gravitational Entrainment Model ( GEM ), is described in Main Summary Appendix A of NR. Einstein’s ether-less non causal model is described in Appendix B . The Lorentz motional transform is derived graphically in Appendix C . The wave equation extension to the LT, for source and observer motion (EMMA), is developed in Appendix D . Applications illustrating the new medium based space-time are considered in Appendix E , the nature of gravity is considered in Appendix F and the main concepts summarized in Appendix G .
These, and many other significant discoveries are described further in a new book ‘Unification of Electromagnetism and Gravity’. The book is a fascinating development of science over the last three hundred years, written in a simple fashion for the layperson to understand but updates aspects of relativity in a rigorous manner. More information about the author, Professor Selwyn Wright, can be found here , or about the book here.