Banner
flash
Whether
an object is at rest with respect to us or in motion leads to certain
changes in how we perceive it. Here we will see, with animations, how
this situation occurs. All the animations here are made with the
(c+v)(c−v) mathematics of Alice Law, and therefore they are very
valuable animations; they show quite clearly how Special Relativity
works and what kind of effects we will observe. First, let us watch the
animation below.
flash
If
an object is at rest with respect to us, we see it where it is.
However, if it is in motion, the position at which we perceive the
object (GHOST) and the true position of the object (SPRING) will always differ. Let us watch the animation above.
- The image of the planet sets off on its way.
- The image reaches the observer.
- The observer sees the planet (GHOST). At that moment the position of the planet (SPRING) in space is different.
- SPRING can never be seen in any way. What we see are always GHOSTS.
Pay attention to where the observer sees the Ghost. The Ghost image is seen by the observer at the point in which x, y, z coordinates, according to the observer’s own reference frame, the image of the planet originally started its journey.
|
On Ghost and Spring
3 February 2003
Here
I would also like to tell you why I chose the words Ghost and Spring
instead of Image and Source. In Turkish, the meanings of the words
“Pınar” (Spring) and “Kaynak” (Source) are almost the same and both
mean a place where water comes out. However, when we hear the word
“Pınar”, we automatically think of a clean and beautiful water source.
The word “Kaynak” (Source), on the other hand, is a more general term.
For example, we can speak of a waste water source, but there is no such
thing as a waste water spring.
A Spring is
untouched, crystal clear and pure. At the same time, it is mystical and
magical. For this reason, in Alice Law I gave the name SPRING to the electromagnetic wave source. In English I used the word Spring as its counterpart.
The word Ghost came naturally as the most suitable
term to describe the observed image that is there to be seen but in
reality is not at that location. The results I encountered while
working on the subject were so peculiar that the most appropriate
description for this situation was “Ghost”. Everyone will understand
that when these words are used, one is talking about the (c+v)(c−v)
mathematics of Alice Law. This distinction is especially important
during the period when the law is becoming known.
|
flash
Where will Alice see the Ghost of the Hatter?
We already gave the answer to
this question above. Let us give it once again here, more clearly:
Alice will see the Ghost of the Hatter at the point on her own field
where the Hatter’s image entered Alice’s field. The position of the
Ghost is determined by the FIELD.
The fact that Alice changes her
position while the Hatter’s image is travelling toward Alice does not
change the result. Alice’s field is carried along with Alice. The
electromagnetic waves on the field are carried along together with the
field. This is one of the most important results that the (c+v)(c−v)
mathematics of Alice Law teaches us.
In the planet animation the observer was at rest. Here the observer is in motion. The result does not change in either case.
flash
The fact that radiation is continuous means that the images belonging to the object are leaving the SPRING one after another. In this way our act of seeing can continue uninterrupted.
Above, by dragging the SPRING (Alice) with the mouse, let us find out where the central observer sees Alice (that is, her GHOST). The only thing that really distinguishes this animation is that, in this particular animation, light travels very slowly.
While we drag Alice, let us pay
attention to the packets of images that set off one after another. They
seem to be travelling in a curve to reach the observer, don’t they?
However, each image travels in a straight line, just as we saw in the
planet animation. An electromagnetic wave always reaches the object at
the centre of a field along a straight path. But at the same time, it
is carried by the Field.
flash
The
path followed by the light emitted from a continuous light source is as
shown above. Do not think of this as the trajectory of a single
electromagnetic wave. Each electromagnetic wave is travelling in a
straight line towards its target object. However, the overall light
path formed by photons that set off one after another looks like this.
Quite interesting, isn’t it?
Of course, due to the enormous speed of light, it is impossible for the effects of GHOST and SPRING
to appear so clearly in our everyday life. However, in space research
and satellite communications these effects are very evident.
GHOST and SPRING
effects occupy a very important and wide place among Special Relativity
effects. Without taking these effects into account, you cannot
correctly interpret the data you obtain in physics and astronomy.
flash
In
the last animation here, Alice is looking at the Hatter, and the Hatter
is looking at Alice. The images of both are travelling towards each
other. By dragging either the Hatter or Alice (it does not matter which
one) with the mouse, let us examine where they see each other’s Ghosts.
As we will see, what matters is the velocity difference between the
reference frames. For the position of the Ghosts to separate from the
Spring, it is not important which one is in motion. Whichever one we
drag, the same effect will occur for the other in a completely
identical way.
If you know Actionscript 3, you can download the source code of this animation.
Source Code (Flash CS3 ActionScript 3.0)