Is it necessary to reinterpret the Theory of Relativity?

Abstract

As it is known, the Lorentz Transformation is the transformation of coordinates between reference systems in uniform relative motion that is at the basis of the Theory of Relativity. But what is its physical meaning? What do the variables obtained by applying this mathematical transformation represent, physically? The interpretation that currently prevails in the context of contemporary physics is that these variables represent the physical space and time coordinates of a given event for a reference system in uniform and rectilinear motion with respect to another one. According to this interpretation, two events that are simultaneous for a given reference system are not simultaneous for another reference system that is in motion with respect to the first one, the so-called "relativity of simultaneity", and therefore time and space are no longer absolute, invariant in the passage from one reference system to another, but become relative, resulting dependent from the state of motion of the system being considered. However, as already observed by C. Somigliana in his paper presented to the Accademia dei Lincei over a century ago [1], this is not the only possible interpretation of the Lorentz Transformation. There is thus a need to establish a criterion to uniquely determine the correct physical interpretation of this mathematical transformation. To address this need, the manuscript [2], titled "Preserving Absolute Simultaneity with the Lorentz Transformation", introduces a general clock synchronization criterion based on isotropic signals of any physical nature. Using this criterion and the mathematical properties of the Lorentz Transformation, it is demonstrated that the variables obtained by applying this transformation cannot be considered as real physical coordinates but must instead be interpreted as particular mathematical entities, which can be called "generalized space-time coordinates", having specific invariance characteristics by virtue of the form of the Lorentz Transformation and of its properties. In this alternative interpretation, the simultaneity of events, and with it also time and space, return to have an absolute character, invariant with respect to the state of motion of the observer and the corresponding reference system. This new interpretation of the Lorentz Transformation, which is not only more general and coherent, being valid for any value of the propagation speed of the synchronization signals, allows to remove all the paradoxes and contradictions that derive from the standard interpretation of Special Relativity. To illustrate its key features it may be useful to use the example of a simple physical system.

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2025-01-11

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