The discussion revolves around the possibility of a light ray being redshifted to a point where it no longer oscillates and thus contains no information. Participants explore the implications of extreme redshifting, its effects on light and electromagnetic radiation, and the limits of detection of such phenomena.
Participants express a range of views on the implications of redshifting, with no consensus on whether a light ray can be redshifted to the point of containing no information. Multiple competing perspectives remain regarding the nature of information in redshifted light and the limits of detection.
Limitations include uncertainties about the definitions of redshift, the nature of electromagnetic radiation at extreme wavelengths, and the practical challenges in measuring low-frequency fields. The discussion also touches on the finite nature of the universe and its implications for redshift.
Einstein's Cat said:Is it possible for a light- ray to be redshifted to an extent where it no longer oscilliates and thus contains no information? Please excuse any naivety
Maybe he intended if the resultant frequency measured here is so low that the wavelength is thousands of light years, e.g.davenn said:it will still be there, have you heard of infra red or microwave radiation ?
but the amount of redshifting to go that far would be pretty extreme
Hmmm, if we want to detect the radiation. But what if we want to detect "the field" e.g. the electric field? An extremely low frequency e.m. radiation, in the "time region" where the field is near to a maximum or a minimum, would appear as a constant field (of very low amplitude, however, certainly).mfb said:The wavelength does not have an upper limit (well, the size of the observable universe is an upper limit), but our sensors have some practical upper limit on the wavelengths that can be detected.
If the Universe is finite (I'm not sure what is flavour of the month at the moment) then there would be a limit to the rate of recession and, hence, a limit to the amount of red shift. (Plus the time since the Big Bang would limit the distance from which we could actually be receiving EM radiation.)lightarrow said:Hmmm, if we want to detect the radiation. But what if we want to detect "the field" e.g. the electric field? An extremely low frequency e.m. radiation, in the "time region" where the field is near to a maximum or a minimum, would appear as a constant field (of very low amplitude, however, certainly).
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lightarrow