Horava Lifschitz theory and Lorentz Invariance

In summary, Horava Lifschitz theory breaks lorentz invariance at high energies and this may have consequences on the speed of light for different frequencies of photons from gamma ray bursts. However, these consequences are not guaranteed and may depend on the specific values of the free parameters in the theory. For a deeper understanding, it is recommended to refer to Horava's paper.
  • #1
windy miller
301
25
As I understand it Horava Lifschitz theory breaks lorentz invariance at high energies.
Does this mean we should see photons from gamma ray bursts leave a signal of varying speeds of light for different frequencies?
 
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  • #3
Demystifier said:
Not necessarily.
Cn you elaborate? Why not? What does it depend on?
 
  • #4
Horava theory is a theory of gravity with some free parameters. The phenomenological consequences may depend on the exact values of those parameters.
 
  • #5
Thanks for that , can you elaborate on the nature of these free parameters,?sorry to be a pain just trying to understand a bit better.
 
  • #6
It's quite technical, so I would suggest to take a look at the Horava's paper.
 
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Related to Horava Lifschitz theory and Lorentz Invariance

1. What is Horava Lifschitz theory and how does it differ from traditional theories of gravity?

Horava Lifschitz theory is a modified theory of gravity that was proposed as an alternative to Einstein's theory of general relativity. It differs from traditional theories in that it breaks the Lorentz invariance, which is the symmetry of space and time that is a fundamental principle in relativity.

2. What motivated the development of Horava Lifschitz theory?

The motivation for developing Horava Lifschitz theory came from the desire to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity. Traditional theories of gravity have difficulty incorporating quantum effects, and the hope was that by breaking the Lorentz invariance, Horava Lifschitz theory could provide a solution to this problem.

3. How does Horava Lifschitz theory explain the observed phenomena in the universe?

Horava Lifschitz theory makes similar predictions to general relativity for most observable phenomena in the universe. However, it also predicts subtle differences in the behavior of gravity on very small scales, which could potentially be observed in high-precision experiments.

4. What are the main criticisms of Horava Lifschitz theory?

One of the main criticisms of Horava Lifschitz theory is that it is not yet a complete theory and has not been fully tested. Additionally, it has been argued that breaking the Lorentz invariance could lead to inconsistencies and difficulties in reconciling the theory with other fundamental principles of physics.

5. Is there any evidence to support Horava Lifschitz theory?

Currently, there is no experimental evidence to support Horava Lifschitz theory. However, there has been some theoretical work and numerical simulations that suggest it could potentially explain certain phenomena, such as the accelerated expansion of the universe, without the need for dark energy. Further research and experiments are needed to fully test and validate the theory.

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