Does my speedy spaceship (.999+C) have a temperature?

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    Spaceship Temperature
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of temperature as it applies to a spaceship traveling at relativistic speeds (0.999c). Participants explore how temperature might be defined and measured in this context, considering the effects of time dilation and relativistic phenomena such as the Doppler effect. The conversation touches on theoretical implications, observational methods, and the nature of temperature itself.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that time dilation on the spaceship could affect the frequency of heat radiation, raising questions about how temperature is defined and measured in such a scenario.
  • Others propose that temperature can be defined as invariant, suggesting that a "rest temperature" exists that is independent of the ship's motion.
  • There is mention of the transverse Doppler effect, which could influence how temperature is perceived by different observers moving relative to the ship.
  • One participant argues that the ship's temperature would remain constant regardless of its motion, but questions arise about what an observer would measure with an IR camera as the ship passes by.
  • Concerns are raised about the limitations of IR measurements, noting that emissivity differences can affect the accuracy of temperature readings.
  • Some participants discuss hypothetical scenarios involving high-energy emissions and the implications of time dilation on interactions with such energy sources.
  • There is a debate about whether temperature is frame-dependent, with references to both Einsteinian and Galilean relativity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views on the definition and measurement of temperature in relativistic contexts. There is no consensus on how to reconcile the different perspectives, particularly regarding the implications of motion on temperature readings.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the need to clarify definitions of temperature and measurement methods, as well as the potential for varying interpretations based on relative motion. The discussion remains open-ended with unresolved questions about the nature of temperature in relativistic scenarios.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying relativistic physics, thermodynamics, or anyone curious about the implications of high-speed travel on physical properties like temperature.

  • #31
I hesitate to jump in, because the detour suggests that this is really the start of an anti-relativity screed.

However...

Classically, there are several different definitions of temperature. They are equivalent in that they all give the same value for the same system. In relativity, these transform differently so do not agree. They will never agree.

It also doesn't matter. If I have a rocket moving at .99c with respect to my heat bath, it is not in thermal equilibrium with that heat bath. There's no way to say what its temperature "really is" since it doesn't fulfill the conditions to even have a temperature.
 
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  • #32
I gather there are a couple of relativistic treatments of temperature. One of them, as I recall, had inverse temperature as a 4-vector. So ##\Delta Q## became the change in a 4-vector (not just a scalar energy), and the change in inverse temperature also became a 4-vector. And ##\Delta S##, which was still a scalar, became the dot-product of these two 4-vectors, the change in energy-momentum, and the inverse temeprature.

However, I was more comfortable with the treatments (which I've also seen) where temperature was always specified in the rest frame of whatever had the temperature.

The reference I recall was https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0505004. Apologies if I messed up anything in my recollections, it's been a while since I read it. I don't know what the impact factor of this paper was, it looked like a decent place to start to me, but I'm not that familair with thermodynamics.
 

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