Unaccelerated-returning-twin paradox in flat space-time
Creators
- 1. Physics Department, Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
Description
The twin paradox in a flat space-time which is spatially closed on itself is considered. In such a universe, twin $B$ can move with constant velocity away from twin $A$ and yet return younger than $A$. This paradox cannot be resolved in the usual way since neither twin is accelerated or locally subject to other than flat Minkowski geometry. Thus there are no obvious kinematic, dynamic, or geometric distinctions between the two and yet one experimentally verifies that moving clocks are slowed while the other does not. A global analysis leads to the conclusion that the description of the topology of this universe has imposed a preferred state of rest so that the principle of special relativity, although locally valid, is not globally applicable.
Additional details
Identifiers
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Physical Review D
- Journal Volume
- 8
- Journal Issue
- 6
- Series
- Phys. Rev., D.
- Journal Page Range
- 1662-1666
- ISSN
- 0556-2821
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- United States
- INIS RN
- 5113046
- Subject category
- S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
- Descriptors DEI
- METRICS; MINKOWSKI SPACE; RELATIVITY THEORY; SPACE-TIME; TOPOLOGY
- Descriptors DEC
- MATHEMATICAL SPACE; MATHEMATICS; SPACE
Optional Information
- Notes
- Updated automatically by Metadata and Full-Text Enrichment Agent