Electrodynamical origins of Einstein's theory of general relativity

The failure of the Newtonian theory of gravitation to satisfactorily account for the motion of Mercury's perihelion cannot be held to have justified the development of general relativity. This paper shows how the origins of general relativity were firmly embedded in contemporary attempts to introduce the new mechanics of special relativity into gravitational theory. These new theories of gravitation took as their basis the electrodynamical equations as formulated by Minkowski and attempted to represent the gravitational potential first by a vector and then by a scalar (in the four-dimensional sense). That Einstein chose the symmetric fundamental tensorg _ij as his gravitational potential is seen to have been both a natural and necessary development. With this viewpoint the full theory of general relativity can be seen to be remarkably similar to those theories of gravitation that preceded it. The paper also contains a previously unpublished letter written by Einstein to H. A. Lorentz.     

Equations of motion of a spinning relativistic particle in external fields

We consider the motion of a spinning relativistic particle in external electromagnetic and gravitational fields to first order in the external field but to arbitrary order in the spin. The influence of the spin on the particle trajectory is properly accounted for by describing the spin noncovariantly. Specific calculations are performed through second order in the spin. A simple derivation is presented for the gravitational spin-orbit and spin-spin interactions of a relativistic particle. We discuss the gravimagnetic moment (GM), a particular spin effect in general relativity. We show that for a Kerr black hole the gravimagnetic ratio, i.e., the coefficient of the GM, equals unity (just as the gyromagnetic ratio equals 2 for a charged Kerr hole). The equations of motion obtained for a spinning relativistic particle in an external gravitational field differ substantially from the Papapetrou equations. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 113, 1537–1557 (May 1998)     

Difference between special relativistic gravitational theory and general relativity: Weak field limit

In the case of weak fields, we compare the gravitational fields and the dynamical equation of a particle deduced from special relativistic gravitational theory with the corresponding results deduced from general relativity. Then both gravitational theories can be tested by experiments.     

Unraveling gravity beyond Einstein with extended test bodies

The motion of test bodies in gravity is tightly linked to the conservation laws. This well-known fact in the context of General Relativity is also valid for gravitational theories which go beyond Einstein?s theory. Here we derive the equations of motion for test bodies for a very large class of gravitational theories with a general nonminimal coupling to matter. These equations form the basis for future systematic tests of alternative gravity theories. Our treatment is covariant and generalizes the classic Mathisson–Papapetrou–Dixon result for spinning (extended) test bodies. The equations of motion for structureless test bodies turn out to be surprisingly simple, despite the very general nature of the theories considered.     

Nonlocal integral conservation laws and tetradic currents in the Einstein-Cartan theory. II. Problem of the gravitational energy and tetradic currents

Einstein-Cartan gravitational field equations are formed as Maxwell equations: the codifferential of the tetrad differential is equal to the conserved tetradic current. This yields local integral conservation laws for any tetrad field and, in particular, allows solving the old problem of the gravitational energy in the general relativity and Einstein-Cartan theories.     

Post-Newtonian approximation for a rotating frame of reference

The field equations of general relativity are solved to post-Newtonian order for a rotating frame of reference. A new method of approximation is used based on a 3+1 decomposition of the equations. The results are expressed explicitly in terms of the gravitational potentials. The space-time is asymptotically flat but not locally flat. The space-time metric contains gravitational terms, inertial terms, and coupled gravitational-inertial terms. The inertial terms in the equation of motion are in agreement with terms obtained by other authors using kinematic methods. The metric and equation of motion reduce to those for an inertial frame of reference under a simple coordinate transformation. The total energy of a particle is given. For the restricted three-body problem this represents the relativistic extension of Jacobi's integral to post-Newtonian order.This article received an honorable mention from the Gravity Research Foundation for the year 1984—Ed.     

Poincaré引力规范场和1/2自旋粒子的运动

木文以Poinaré群作为引力规范群,在有挠率和曲率的空间中,讨论了当引力拉氏量包含场强的线性项与二次项时体系的运动方程,指出球对称真空静引力场方程在“宏观”极限下可以得到Schwarzchild解,因此它与目前关于广义相对论的实验验证是一致的,但在“微观”极限下,方程预示着一种新的短程作用,讨论了自旋1/2的粒子作为检测粒子在这种球对称真空静场中的运动,指出运动方程只与仿射联络的黎曼部分有关,并和广义相对论的相应方程具有同样的形式。 关键词：     

Nonlinear equations of the gravitational field in the special theory of relativity

It is proposed that the nonlinearity of the field be taken into account with the help of a method which essentially consists of the fact that the structure of the Lagrangian, expressed in terms of the potential of the field and its derivatives, is not known a priori, but is obtained from a solution of the self-action equation in phase space in which the Lagrangian is the unknown. This equation has a solution and the Lagrangian turns out to be a nonpolynomial function with respect to the field potential. The gravitational field equations following from the variational principle have a similar structure to the equations of general relativity and coincide with them in the linear approximation. The equations of other fields taking into account gravitation, as well as the equation of motion of a test particle in a gravitational field, are constructed.     

Motion of a particle in a gravitational field in the special theory of relativity

The equations of motion for a particle moving in a gravitational field considered in planar spacetime are derived. A simplified form of these equations is obtained for the particular case of a centrosymmetric field subject to a simplifying assumption concerning the structure of the potential of a field with this sort of symmetry. Under this assumption the displacement of the perigee of the planets amounts to five-sixths of the value given by the general theory of relativity.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 3, pp. 48–52, March, 1977.     

A scalar Euclidean theory of gravitation: motion in a static spherically symmetric field

The motion of a particle in a static, spherically symmetric gravitational field is investigated in Euclidean space. The gravitational effects are described as due to a scalar field: To every point in space there is assigned a refractive index deciding the velocity of light in that point. The motion of light in the vacuum is described by the equation of classical optics. An equation of motion for material test particles is then derived by employing the usual Lagrangian formalism. The motion of the planets around the sun is explained, in particular the perihelion motion of Mercury. The present theory fully explains the four classical tests of general relativity in a mathematically far simpler way, and it can be equivalent to the Schwarzschild solution. It is also found that the effect of gravitation depends on the velocity of the particle, becoming repulsive for radial velocities larger thanc/ (c is the velocity of light). This seemingly odd result can also be obtained from the equations of general relativity, as was shown by Cavalleri and Spinelli.     

Quadratic Poincaré gauge theory of gravity: A comparison with the general relativity theory

The classical dynamics of the gravitational field in the Poincaré gauge theory is studied. The most general Lagrangian quadratic in curvature and torsion is considered. The relevant field equations and their solutions are analyzed in detail, with particular emphasis on the comparison of the Poincaré gauge models with the general relativity theory. We investigate correspondence between the spaces of exact solutions of these theories, both in the presence and absence of material sources, and with or without torsion. Some new exact solutions are obtained without the use of the double duality ansatz. The weak-field approximation is discussed, and gravitational radiation is considered.     

Quadrupole test particle as a detector of gravitational waves

In this paper it is shown that in general relativity the theory of motion of quadrupole test particles (QTP's) can be used to describe the energy and angular momentum absorption by detectors of gravitational waves. By specifying the form of the quadrupole moment tensor Taub's [7] equations of motion of QTP's are simplified. In these equations the terms describing the change of the mass and of the angular momentum of a QTP due to external gravitational waves are found to occur. The limiting case of the flat space-time is also briefly discussed.     

The confrontation between general relativity and experiment

We review the experimental evidence for Einstein’s general relativity. Tests of the Einstein equivalence principle support the postulates of curved space-time and bound variations of fundamental constants in space and time, while solar system experiments strongly confirm weak-field general relativity. The binary pulsar provides tests of gravitational wave damping and of strong-field general relativity. Future experiments, such as the gravity probe B gyroscope experiment, a satellite test of the equivalence principle, and tests of gravity at short distance to look for extra spatial dimensions could further constrain alternatives to general relativity. Laser Interferometric Gravitational Wave Observatories on Earth and in space may provide new tests of scalar-tensor gravity and graviton-mass theories via the properties of gravitational waves.     

Relativistic Dynamics of Vector Bosons in the Field of Gravitational Radiation

We consider a model of the state evolution of relativistic vector bosons, which includes both the dynamical equations for the particle four-velocity and the equations for the polarization four-vector evolution in the field of a nonlinear plane gravitational wave. In addition to the gravitational minimal coupling, tidal forces linear in curvature tensor are suggested to drive the particle state evolution. The exact solutions of the evolutionary equations are obtained. Birefringence and tidal deviations from the geodesic motion are discussed.     

The Brans-Dicke scalar field in Einstein-Cartan theory

In the framework of Einstein-Cartan (EC) theory, the Brans-Dicke (BD) theory is considered and it is found that a scalar field nonminimally coupled to the gravitational field gives rise to torsion, even though the scalar field has zero spin. The metric equations stay the same if the coupling constant is rescaled, but the equations of motion of a test particle, derived from the conservation equations, differ from those of the usual BD theory without torsion. The gravitational red-shift value differs considerably from the usual prediction of general theory of relativity (GTR), and rules out the possibility of a torsion version of BD theory for<6.     

Motion of photons in a gravitational wave background

Photon motion in a Michelson interferometer is re-analyzed in terms of both geometrical optics and wave optics.The classical paths of the photons in the background of a gravitational wave are derived from the Fermat principle,which is the same as the null geodesics in general relativity.The deformed Maxwell equations and the wave equations of electric fields in the background of a gravitational wave are presented in a flat-space approximation.Both methods show that even the envelope of the response of an interferometer depends on the frequency of a gravitational wave,but it is almost independent of the frequency of the mirror's vibrations.     

Extended bodies with quadrupole moment interacting with gravitational monopoles: reciprocity relations

An exact solution of Einstein’s equations representing the static gravitational field of a quasi-spherical source endowed with both mass and mass quadrupole moment is considered. It belongs to the Weyl class of solutions and reduces to the Schwarzschild solution when the quadrupole moment vanishes. The geometric properties of timelike circular orbits (including geodesics) in this spacetime are investigated. Moreover, a comparison between geodesic motion in the spacetime of a quasi-spherical source and non-geodesic motion of an extended body also endowed with both mass and mass quadrupole moment as described by Dixon’s model in the gravitational field of a Schwarzschild black hole is discussed. Certain “reciprocity relations” between the source and the particle parameters are obtained, providing a further argument in favor of the acceptability of Dixon’s model for extended bodies in general relativity.     

THE PROBLEM OF MOTION IN THE KALUZA THEORY

It is shown that the equations of motion for a charged massive particle are consequences of the field equations in Kaluza unification theory of gravitation and electromagnetism, i.e., the equations of motion for the particle can be deduced from Kaluza field equations, just as that in Einstein's theory of motion of general relativity the equations of motion for a massive particle are consequences of the Einstein equations. Furthermore, the Lorentz equations for a particle maving in the Maxwell electromagnetic field on the Minkowskian space-time can also be obtained from the Maxwell equations by means of the Kaluze mechanism of the Maxwell theory.     

Embedding of Particle Waves in a Schwarzschild Metric Background

The special and general relativity theories are used to demonstrate that the velocity of an unradiative particle in a Schwarzschild metric background, and in an electrostatic field, is the group velocity of a wave that we call a particle wave, which is a monochromatic solution of a standard equation of wave motion and possesses the following properties. It generalizes the de Broglie wave. The rays of a particle wave are the possible particle trajectories, and the motion equation of a particle can be obtained from the ray equation. The standing particle wave equation generalizes the Schrödinger equation of wave amplitudes. The particle wave motion equation generalizes the Klein–Gordon equation; this result enables us to analyze the essence of the particle wave frequency. The equation of the eikonal of a particle wave generalizes the Hamilton–Jacobi equation; this result enables us to deduce the general expression for the linear momentum. The Heisenberg uncertainty relation expresses the diffraction of the particle wave, and the uncertainty relation connecting the particle instant of presence and energy results from the fact that the group velocity of the particle wave is the particle velocity. A single classical particle may be considered as constituted of geometrical particle wave; reciprocally, a geometrical particle wave may be considered as constituted of classical particles. The expression for a particle wave and the motion equation of the particle wave remain valid when the particle mass is zero. In that case, the particle is a photon, the particle wave is a component a classical electromagnetic wave that is embedded in a Schwarzschild metric background, and the motion equation of the wave particle is the motion equation of an electromagnetic wave in a Schwarzschild metric background. It follows that a particle wave possesses the same physical reality as a classical electromagnetic wave. This last result and the fact that the particle velocity is the group velocity of its wave are in accordance with the opinions of de Broglie and of Schrödinger. We extend these results to the particle subjected to any static field of forces in any gravitational metric background. Therefore we have achieved a synthesis of undulatory mechanics, classical electromagnetism, and gravitation for the case where the field of forces and the gravitational metric background are static, and this synthesis is based only on special and general relativity.