How to test special relativity

Ove Poulsen

Historically fast relativistic quantum absorbers have played an important role in precision tests of special relativity. Since its completion in 1938, the pioneering experiment of Ives and Stilwell1 has served as a model for later experiments attempting to measure the relativistic time dilation predicted by special relativity. In concert with the Michelson-Morley and the Kennedy-Thorndike experiments these three experiments enabled Robertson2 to establish a test theory where he showed that Einstein's postulates could be replaced by facts drawn from these classical experiments.

David Z. Albert

Reinhold Fürth

e indirect evidence for the existence of the Lorentz `local time' effect, which is also a feature of the special theory of relativity, is discussed and a fairly simple direct experiment, using radio waves in the centimetre region, for testing the theorem of the relativity of simultaneity of events is proposed.

Gianfranco Spavieri, Jesús A. Quintero M., Arturo Rodolfo Sanchez Pineda +2 more

Locality and electromagnetic momentum in critical tests of special relativity.\nSpavieri, Gianfranco; Quintero, Jesús; Sánchez, Arturo; Ayazo, José y Gillies, George\n\nAbstract\n\nIn this review of recent tests of special relativity it is shown that the electromagnetic momentum plays a relevant role in various areas of classical and quantum physics. Crucial tests on the locality of Faraday's law for "open" currents, on a modified Trouton-Noble experiment, on nonconservation of mechanical angular momentum, on the force on the magnetic dipole, and on a reciprocal Rowland's experiment are outlined. Electromagnetic momentum provides a link also between quantum nonlocal effects and light propagation in moving media. Since light waves in moving media behave as matter waves in nonlocal quantum effects, the ?ow of the medium does a¤ect the phase velocity of light, but not necessarily the momentum of photons. Thus, Fizeau's experiment is not suitable for testing the addition of velocities of special relativity. A crucial, non-interferometric experiment for the speed of photons in moving media, is described.

Sibel Başkal, Young S Kim, Marilyn E. Noz