Max Photon Energy: Planck Length Lower Limit?

[mathman]

Planck length is ~ 1.6\times 10^{-35} meters. Does this mean that this may be a lower limit on meaningful wavelength and therefore upper limit on energy?

 

[rumborak]

Isn't that one of those "call me back when we have an experiment approaching those energies" questions? I would think a lot of physicists would like to know what happens at Planck lengths/masses/energies, but all of our experiments are orders of magnitudes away from that.

 

[Vanadium 50]

In some frame, every photon has a wavelength less than that.

 

[rumborak]

In some frame, every photon has a wavelength less than that.

Is that conjecture, or have experiments shown that?

 

[Vanadium 50]

Do you believe in the Doppler effect or not?

 

[jtbell]

I suggest you read our Insights article about the Planck length, if you haven't seen it already:

A Hand-Wavy Discussion of the Planck Length

Bottom line: the Planck length is not a "lower limit" on length.

 

[sophiecentaur]

Do you believe in the Doppler effect or not?

I "believe" that it works within the ranges that have been measured - and a bit more, perhaps. The simple formulae will almost certainly not apply.

 

[Vanadium 50]

But the Doppler effect is cumulative. Boost by beta=.6 and you double the frequency. Boost by beta=.6 again and you double the frequency again. Repeat as necessary.

 

[sophiecentaur]

But the Doppler effect is cumulative. Boost by beta=.6 and you double the frequency. Boost by beta=.6 again and you double the frequency again. Repeat as necessary.

I imagine that the effect is Monotonic but, in extreme situations, why would Beta necessarily apply in the way you imply? Already, we use two Doppler formulae, with and without SR so why assume that something else doesn't kick in at a singularity. The only reason I posted a reply to you post was your use of "believe" in the context of the conditions that are being discussed.

 

[Vanadium 50]

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That's what is generally understood and practiced by the professional scientific community.