Mathematical model of an experiment to test the isotropy of the one-way speed of light

Abstract

Abstract The value for the speed of light c = 299792458 m/s which is widely used in theoretical physics, experimental physics, astronomy and astrophysics. However, this presumed value of ‘c’ is the round trip speed or the average of the two-way speed of light, from source to the detector and back. It has been thoroughly verified time and again by a number of experiments. But the equality of the one-way speed of light with the round trip speed of light i.e. the isotropy of the one-way speed of light has never been verified, due to the magnitude of the complexity involved in measuring the one-way speed of light. It has thought to be impossible to measure the one-way speed of light except an absolute (standard) simultaneity was to be found. But we can test the isotropy of the one-way speed of light by using a mathematical structure that resembles an isosceles triangle, a clock and a light tunnel. Since the round trip speed of light has already been verified to be isotropic, there are values only with which one-way speed of light can have maintaining the roundtrip speed of light to be isotropic. These values serves as limits to the maximum speed that the one-way speed of light can travel in its direction of propagation in the light tunnel, from which two light pulses from both ends of the tunnel send to the same clock there by evading the need for synchronization.