Re: A binary star paradox

From: greywolf42 (mingstb_at_marssim-ss.com)
Date: 07/23/04 

Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 11:35:51 -0700

Tom Roberts <tjroberts@lucent.com> wrote in message
news:XB9Mc.41161$eH1.19473913@newssvr28.news.prodigy.com...
> John Kennaugh wrote:

{snip}

> > Surely what you are in fact saying
> > is that the observer on star A will see star B's clock going slower and
> > an observer on star B will see A's clock going slower
>
> No. In SR it is clear that an observer at rest in the barycenter
> inertial frame will see the two stars' clocks always ticking at the same
> rate, but that rate will vary as they move around their orbits. Symmetry
> conditions imply that in GR this still holds for a suitable definition
> of the barycenter coordinates.
>
> As I keep saying -- I make no claim about "what the observer on star A
> will see star B's clock" rate, because that requires a definition of
> simultaneity for the non-inertial frame of star A, and there is no clear
> and obvious choice for that; it is inherently ambiguous.

In which case, SR is worthless. To be useful, a theory must give unique,
unambiguous answers.

> But in SR for
> an observer in the inertial frame of the barycenter there IS such a
> clear and obvious definition of simultaneity;

You keep making this claim, Tom, but you never back it up.

What procedure within SR allows each (and both) observer identify the
inertial frame?????

Keep in mind that the barycenter of the two stars is not necessarily
inertial!

{snip} 

--
greywolf42
ubi dubium ibi libertas
{remove planet for return e-mail}

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