Thomas-Wigner rotation and Thomas precession in covariant ether theories: novel approach to experimental verification of special relativity

We continue the analysis of Thomas-Wigner rotation (TWR) and Thomas precession (TP) initiated in (Kholmetskii and Yarman. Can. J. Phys. 92,1232 (2014). doi:10.1139/cjp-2014-0015; Kholmetskii et al. Can. J. Phys. 92,1380 (2014). doi:10.1139/cjp-2014-0140), where a number of points of serious inconsistency have been found in the relativistic explanation of these effects. These findings motivated us to address covariant ether theories (CET), as suggested by the first author (Kholmetskii. Phys. Scr. 67, 381 (2003)) and to show that both TWR and TP find a perfect explanation in CET. We briefly reproduce the main points of CET, which are constructed on the basis of general symmetries of empty space-time, general relativity principles, and classical causality, instead of Einstein's postulates of the special theory of relativity (STR). We demonstrate that with respect to all known relativistic experiments performed to date in all areas of physics, both theories, STR and CET, yield identical results. We further show that the only effect that differentiates STR and CET is the measurement of time-dependent TWR of two inertial frames, [K.sub.1] and [K.sub.2], related by the rotation-free Lorentz transformation with a third inertial frame, [K.sub.0], in the situation, where the relative velocity between [K.sub.1] and [K.sub.2] remains fixed. We discuss the results obtained and suggest a novel experiment, which can be classified as a new crucial test of STR. PACS Nos.: 03.30.+p. Nous continuons ici l'analyse de la rotation de Thomas-Wigner (TWR) et de la precession de Thomas (TP) debutee dans (Kholmetskii and Yarman. Can. J. Phys. 92, 1232 (2014). doi:10.1139/cjp-2014-0015; Kholmetskii et al. Can. J. Phys. 92, 1380 (2014). doi:10.1139/cjp-2014-0140), ou nous avons identifie de serieuses incoherences dans l'explication relativiste de ces phenomenes. Ces trouvailles nous motivent pour tester les theories covariantes de l'ether (CET) suggerees par le premier auteur (Kholmetskii. Phys. Scr. 67, 381 (2003)) et demontrer que TWR et TP trouvent une parfaite description dans CET. Nous reprenons brievement les principaux points des CET, qui sont construites sur la base de symetries generales de l'espace-temps vide, le principe de la relativite generale et la causalite classique, plutot que sur le theorie de la relativite restreinte d'Einstein (STP). Nous demontrons que CET et STR donnent des resultats identiques en decrivant toutes les mesures relativistes faites a date dans tous les domaines de la physique. Nous montrons de plus que la seule experience qui pourrait faire la difference entre CET et STR implique la mesure dependante du temps de deux TWR de deux referentiels inertiels, [K.sub.1] et [K.sub.2], relies par une transformation de Lorentz sans rotation a un troisieme referentiel inertiel [K.sub.0], dans une situation ou la vitesse relative entre [K.sub.1] et [K.sub.2] demeure fixe. Nous analysons les resultats et suggerons une experience qui serait un test crucial pour STR. [Traduit par la Redaction]
1. Introduction In our recent papers [1, 2] we have reanalyzed the Thomas-Wigner rotation (TWR) and Thomas precession (TP), revealing a number of missed points in their physical interpretation. Now [...]