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On measuring the one-way speed of light

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Abstract

The crucial problem of how to synchronize clocks and measure the one-way speed of light was originally discussed by Poincaré and Einstein. After being neglected for many decades, the Poincaré-Einstein problem of synchronization revived in 1977 with the work of Mansouri and Sexl, by which the one-way speed remains undetermined, allowing for unequal values of the speed of light in opposite directions. We review this problem in the framework of relativistic theories that assume clock-retardation and rod-contraction. We show that, for preferred frame theories, convection or “open” currents yield a magnetic field that depends on the velocity v with respect to the preferred frame S o . We also outline an experiment, based on Faraday’s law of induction, that can determine the velocity v, identify S o , and test special relativity versus preferred frame theories. This result resolves the Poincaré-Einstein problem and shows that, in principle, the one-way speed c can be measured.

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  1. Centro de Física Fundamental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, 5101, Mérida, Venezuela

    G. Spavieri

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  1. G. Spavieri
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Spavieri, G. On measuring the one-way speed of light. Eur. Phys. J. D 66, 76 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2012-20524-8

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