De Sitter relativity and Lorentz contraction

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the concepts presented in the paper "de Sitter Relativity: a New Road to Quantum Gravity" by R. Aldrovandi and J. G. Pereira, particularly focusing on the implications of conformal transformations in de Sitter relativity and their relationship to Lorentz contraction. Participants explore the theoretical aspects of these transformations, their potential significance in quantum gravity, and the nature of the conformal current mentioned in the paper.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether conformal transformations in de Sitter relativity are additional features that maintain Lorentz contraction while introducing dilation through a non-zero cosmological constant.
  • The same participant expresses uncertainty about the nature of the "proper conformal current" referenced in the paper, suggesting it may relate to momentum-energy flux.
  • Another participant notes the existence of a previous discussion on the same paper in a different forum, indicating ongoing interest in the topic.
  • A participant comments on the implications of a plagiarism scandal involving one of the authors, which may affect perceptions of the paper's credibility.
  • There is speculation about the potential impact of the Aldrovandi and Pereira paper, comparing it to the work of Garrett Lisi, though this is framed as a hopeful perspective rather than a consensus.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the implications of the paper or the nature of the conformal transformations and currents discussed. Multiple viewpoints and uncertainties remain regarding the significance and interpretation of the concepts presented.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reflects a variety of interpretations and assumptions about the relationship between conformal transformations and Lorentz contraction, as well as the credibility of the authors in light of external controversies. Specific definitions and mathematical details are not fully resolved.

oldman
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De Sitter relativity and Lorentz contraction

I need help in understanding the elements of a paper that I think could turn out to be quite important, namely http://arxiv.org/abs/0711.2274 de Sitter Relativity: a New Road to Quantum Gravity
R. Aldrovandi, J. G. Pereira)

Inter aliathey say that:

in de Sitter relativity “... conformal transformations will naturally be incorporated in the kinematics of spacetime, and the corresponding conformal current will appear as part of the Noether conserved current [7].” This is because “ ... a cosmological term naturally introduces the conformal generators in the definition of spacetime transitivity.”

I understand (probably wrongly) that the main feature of conformal transformations is that they are shape-preserving on a small enough scale. If this is so, I have a question:

Lorentz transformations are not shape-preserving; the Lorentz contaction is uniaxial, as in the explanation of the null-result of the Michelson-Morley experiment.

Are the conformal transformations of de Sitter SR bolt-on additions that leave Lorentz contraction intact, while providing dilation via a non-zero cosmological constant?

And also, what exactly is the "proper conformal current" they talk of? Is it a sort of extra momentum-energy flux?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Off topic but gruesomely notable

J. G. Pereira was one of the victims in the second Turkish Plagiariasm Ring scandal at the archive (the first was centered at METU, the second at COMU); see http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/plagiarism-and-falsified-data-slip-into-the-scientific-literature.ars and http://arxiv.org/new/withdrawals.aug.07.html.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks, Chris Hillman, and Fredrik, for your kind replies. I wasn't aware of the plagiarism scandal emanating from Turkey --- it must be so easy to patch together articles by cutting and pasting. I'm not surprised that some folk have tried it. And thanks for the pointer to Marcus' thread about this paper, Fredrik. I'm as intrigued by it as he seems to be, and had hoped that a second thread about it would stimulate more discussion.

The Aldrovandi and Pereira paper could just be the start of a new perspective with the potential to rival the impact that Garrett Lisi has had, if their work makes real sense. But the fact that these authors are not alternative-lifestyle Nord Americano surfing-skiing dudes may at first blunt their impact!
 

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