Postulate versus Observation in the Special Theory of Relativity
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In 1905 Einstein(1) published his theory of electro-dynamics of moving bodies, which has long since been incorporated in the accepted body of physical science under the less descriptive name of the special theory of relativity. The kinematical background for this theory, an operational interpretation of the Lorentz transformation, was obtained deductively by Einstein from a general postulate concerning the relativity of motion and a more specific postulate concerning the velocity of light.
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The three classical Lorentz-invariance tests (Michelson-Morley, Kennedy-Thorndike, and Ives-Stillwell) are second-order tests because the Lorentz-invariance-violating signal depends on w^2/c^2.
“The three classical LI tests are the Michelson-Morley, Kennedy-Thorndike, and Ives-Stillwell experiments [10]; they are second-order tests as the LI violating signal depends on w 2 =c 2 [13].”
From Test of Special Relativity Using a Fiber Network of Optical Clocks (2017) · cites this paper as [10]
The Robertson-Mansouri-Sexl (RMS) kinematical framework contains only three parameters.
“In this Letter we use the Robertson-Mansouri-Sexl (RMS) kinematical framework [10][11][12][13] that contains only three parameters.”
From Test of Special Relativity Using a Fiber Network of Optical Clocks (2017) · cites this paper as [10]
The Robertson-Mansouri-Sexl framework is a well-known kinematic test theory for parameterizing deviations from Lorentz invariance.
“The Robertson-Mansouri-Sexl framework [246, 211, 277] is a well known kinematic test theory for parameterizing deviations from Lorentz invariance.”
From Modern Tests of Lorentz Invariance (2005) · cites this paper as [246]
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Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Körper
Einstein, A. (1905) · Annalen der Physik · doi:10.1002/andp.19053221004 · Cited by 4,385 · see citing works
On the relative motion of the Earth and the luminiferous ether
Michelson, A. A., & Morley, E. W. (1887) · American Journal of Science · doi:10.2475/ajs.s3-34.203.333 · Cited by 1,521 · see citing works
An Experimental Study of the Rate of a Moving Atomic Clock
Ives, H. E., & Stilwell, G. R. (1938) · Journal of the Optical Society of America · doi:10.1364/josa.28.000215 · Cited by 419 · see citing works
Experimental Establishment of the Relativity of Time
Kennedy, R. J., & Thorndike, E. M. (1932) · Physical Review · doi:10.1103/physrev.42.400 · Cited by 300 · see citing works
An Experimental Study of the Rate of a Moving Atomic Clock II
Ives, H. E., & Stilwell, G. R. (1941) · Journal of the Optical Society of America · doi:10.1364/josa.31.000369 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
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Modern Tests of Lorentz Invariance
Mattingly, D. (2005) · Living Reviews in Relativity · doi:10.12942/lrr-2005-5 · Cited by 1,061 · see citing works
Signals for Lorentz violation in electrodynamics
Kostelecký, V. A., & Mewes, M. (2002) · Physical Review D · doi:10.1103/physrevd.66.056005 · Cited by 767 · see citing works
Tu, L.-C., Luo, J., & Gillies, G. T. (2005) · Reports on Progress in Physics · doi:10.1088/0034-4885/68/1/r02 · Cited by 303 · see citing works
Test of Special Relativity Using a Fiber Network of Optical Clocks
Delva, P., Lodewyck, J., Bilicki, S., Bookjans, E., Vallet, G., Le Targat, R., Pottie, P.-E., Guerlin, C., Meynadier, F., Le Poncin-Lafitte, C., et al. (2017) · Physical Review Letters · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.118.221102 · Cited by 227 · see citing works
Test of relativistic time dilation with fast optical atomic clocks at different velocities
Reinhardt, S., Saathoff, G., Buhr, H., Carlson, L. A., Wolf, A., Schwalm, D., Karpuk, S., Novotny, C., Huber, G., Zimmermann, M., et al. (2007) · Nature Physics · doi:10.1038/nphys778 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
A test theory of special relativity: III. Second-order tests
Mansouri, R., & Sexl, R. U. (1977) · General Relativity and Gravitation · doi:10.1007/bf00759585 · Cited by 149 · see citing works
Improved Test of Time Dilation in Special Relativity
Saathoff, G., Karpuk, S., Eisenbarth, U., Huber, G., Krohn, S., Horta, R. M., Reinhardt, S., Schwalm, D., Wolf, A., & Gwinner, G. (2003) · Physical Review Letters · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.91.190403 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Botermann, B., Bing, D., Geppert, C., Gwinner, G., Hänsch, T. W., Huber, G., Karpuk, S., Krieger, A., Kühl, T., Nörtershäuser, W., et al. (2014) · Physical Review Letters · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.113.120405 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
- Authors
- Robertson, H. P.
- Affiliations
- California Institute of Technology (US)
- Corresponding author
- Robertson, H. P.
- Venue
- Reviews of Modern Physics
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Published
- 1949-07-01
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 378-382
- ISSN
- 0034-6861 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1993996008
- Cited by
- 298
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Reviews of Modern Physics (publishedVersion)
- CaltechAUTHORS (California Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- CERN Document Server (European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Relativity and Gravitational Theory
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy, Science, and History
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
- Keywords
- special relativity, Lorentz transformation, operational interpretation, relativity of motion, constancy of the speed of light, Albert Einstein, kinematics
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