Natural Science Forum / Physics / General Physics / January 2008

http://www.blazelabs.com/f-g-gcont.asp "The first confirmation of a
long range variation in the speed of light travelling in space came in
1964. Irwin Shapiro, it seems, was the first to make use of a
previously forgotten facet of general relativity theory -- that the
speed of light is reduced when it passes through a gravitational
field....Faced with this evidence, Einstein stated:"In the second
place our result shows that, according to the general theory of
relativity, the law of the constancy of the velocity of light in
vacuo, which constitutes one of the two fundamental assumptions in the
special theory of relativity and to which we have already frequently
referred, cannot claim any unlimited validity. A curvature of rays of
light can only take place when the velocity of propagation of light
varies with position."......Today we find that since the Special
Theory of Relativity unfortunately became part of the so called
mainstream science, it is considered a sacrilege to even suggest that
the speed of light be anything other than a constant. This is somewhat
surprising since even Einstein himself suggested in a paper "On the
Influence of Gravitation on the Propagation of Light," Annalen der
Physik, 35, 1911, that the speed of light might vary with the
gravitational potential. Indeed, the variation of the speed of light
in a vacuum or space is explicitly shown in Einstein's calculation for
the angle at which light should bend upon the influence of gravity.
One can find his calculation in his paper. The result is c'=c(1+V/c^2)
where V is the gravitational potential relative to the point where the
measurement is taken. 1+V/c^2 is also known as the GRAVITATIONAL
REDSHIFT FACTOR."

In such cases Einstein's equivalence principle acts like the face of
Medusa the Gorgon: on seeing it, Einsteinians get petrified and remain
so until the danger is over. And the danger is enormous indeed: by
applying  the equivalence principle, Einsteinians would prove that
Einstein's 1911 equation c'=c(1+V/c^2), valid in the presence of a
gravitational field, is EQUIVALENT to the equation c'=c+v given by
Newton's emission theory of light and valid in the absence of a
gravitational field. Then Einsteinians would have to inform Einstein
zombie world that the gravitational redshift factor 1+V/c^2 confirms
c'=c+v and refutes c'=c, that is, refutes Einstein's 1905 light
postulate.

In other cases Einsteinians love Einstein's equivalence principle and
use it as a red herring, in the following way:

http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2008/1/14/labVerifiesEinsteinTheory
Lab verifies Einstein theory. In a 25-foot pit in the basement of
Varian Physics Building, Stanford researchers are running an
experiment that could unravel Einstein's most famous theory. Physics
Prof. Mark Kasevich and his lab are testing the equivalence principle,
a central tenet of general relativity....."It has been verified to the
13th decimal place," said Hogan. "Our goal is to push the limits to 15
decimals."

Pentcho Valev
pvalev@yahoo.com