New component to gravity explains anomaly
3 Jan 2011 by Evoluted New Media
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity can be reconciled with a new force which explains the rotation of stars in the centre of a galaxy and unexpected spacecraft trajectories says a Viennese scientist.
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity can be reconciled with a new force which explains the rotation of stars in the centre of a galaxy and unexpected spacecraft trajectories says a Viennese scientist.
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Masses such as stars or planets warp the space-time |
Daniel Grumiller from the Vienna University of Technology proposes a new model of gravity which unites the theory of relativity with astronomical observations. He suggests the Rindler force – a constant force acting between two objects regardless of their distance – and used it to explain rotational velocity of stars orbiting a galaxy’s centre and why the Pioneer 10 and 11 don’t follow the trajectories predicted by the theory of relativity.
“The force does not contradict the theory of relativity, it is rather an extension which fits seamlessly in the structure of the theory of relativity,” Grumiller said.
Grumiller went back to the foundations of the theory, asking which kinds of equations describing gravity are allowed by mathematics. He simplified the theory of gravitation by looking at spherically symmetric cases – the gravitational field of a planet or star.
“We can show mathematically, which factors affect the force of gravity,” he said. Some factors – the Newtonian force of gravity and Einstein’s relativistic corrections – are well known, but there is also another contribution to gravity – the Rindler force, he says.
Grumiller estimated the force’s magnitude by looking at the rotational velocity of stars orbiting the centre of a galaxy. The force – which is so small it can’t be observed in everyday phenomenon – should play a decisive role over large distances and Grumiller’s equations explained the remarkably large rotational velocities that have been observed much better than previous calculations.
He also used the equations to explain why the Pioneer 10 and 11 spaceships – which are travelling away from the sun and Earth – aren’t on their predicted courses: “The observed trajectories can be correctly described by taking into account a small additional force, acting in the direction of the sun – such as the Rindler force.”
Grumiller hopes to get a better understanding of what determines the strength of the Rindler force –named after Viennese gravitational physicist Wolfgang Rindler – and its possible connections to dark matter through further work.
“It will be very exciting to include this simplified model in a more general way into the framework of the four-dimensional theory of relativity,” Grumiller said.
