Motion of a Test Particle According to the Scalar Ether Theory of Gravitation and Application to its Celestial Mechanics

Abstract

Abstract The standard interpretations of special relativity (Einstein–Minkowski) and general relativity (GR) lead to a drastically changed notion of time: the eternalism or block universe theory. This has strong consequences for our thinking about time and for the development of new fundamental theories. It is therefore important to check this thoroughly. The Lorentz–Poincaré interpretation, which sees the relativistic effects as following from a “true” Lorentz contraction of all objects in their motion through the ether, uses a conservative concept of time and is in the absence of gravitation indistinguishable from the standard interpretation; but there exists currently no accepted gravitation theory for it. The scalar ether theory of gravitation is a candidate for such a theory; it is presented and discussed. The equations of motion for a test particle are derived; the case of a uniformly moving massive body is discussed and then specialized to the case of spherical symmetry. Formulas for the acceleration of test particles are given in the preferred frame of the ether and in the rest frame of the massive body that moves with velocity V with respect to the ether. When the body rests in the ether (V = 0), the acceleration is up to order c−2 identical to GR. The acceleration of a test particle for V ≠ 0 is given; this makes it possible to fit observations in celestial mechanics to ephemerides with V as a free parameter. The current status of such fits (although to ephemerides and not to observations) is presented and discussed.