English

Fermi co-ordinates and relativistic effects in non-inertial frames

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2007-05-23 v1

Abstract

Fermi co-ordinates are proper co-ordinates of a local observer determined by his trajectory in space-time. Two observers at different positions belong to different Fermi frames even if there is no relative motion between them. Use of Fermi co-ordinates leads to several physical conclusions related to relativistic effects seen by observers in arbitrary motion. In flat space-time, the relativistic length seen by an observer depends only on his instantaneous velocity, not on his acceleration or rotation. In arbitrary space-time, for any observer the velocity of light is isotropic and equal to cc, provided that it is measured by propagating a light beam in a small neighbourhood of the observer. The value of a covariant field measured at the position of the observer depends only on his instantaneous position and velocity, not on his acceleration. The notion of radiation is observer independent. A "freely" falling charge in curved space-time does not move along a geodesic and therefore radiates.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.gr-qc/0009068,
  title  = {Fermi co-ordinates and relativistic effects in non-inertial frames},
  author = {H. Nikolic},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/0009068},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

9 pages, talk presented at the conference "Physical Interpretations of Relativity Theory VII", London, September 15-18, 2000, to appear in the proceedings