Measuring Forces on Mercury

Mercury makes its rounds around the sun faster than predicted by Newton. A consequence of this is that Mercury’s orbital precession is greater than expected by 43 seconds of arc per century.

Curved space-time vs. aether

The mainstream explanation for this is that space-time curves in the presence of massive bodies.

Time and space are distorted near the sun, and we get the observed discrepancy.

However, an alternative solution can be found if we assume the existence of an aether.

Instead of curved space-time, we have differences in densities in the aether. In the case of my proposed aether, which is a mix of low energy photons and neutrinos, there’s a higher density of photons close to massive objects, and this causes rulers to become shorter and clocks to run faster.

Similarities and differences

Since curvatures and density gradients are mathematically equivalent, we can assume that the math will be similar for the two solutions.

However, I haven’t derived any equations.

I’m confident that my solution works only because formulas derived from my model will be similar to what’s already developed from the curved space-time model.

But is my solution sufficiently similar to represent a valid alternative? To answer this question, we’ll have to home in on some formulas.

Time distortion

Let us first look a little closer at the Mercury anomaly. My solution is based on the idea that clocks run faster on Mercury, and by clocks, I mean anything that moves, including human heartbeats, chemical processes and radioactive decay.

An environment in which clocks run faster will be observed from outside as a place where things happen quicker. Speeds are higher, including orbital speeds.

Not only are speeds higher on Mercury, rulers are shorter as well. Anything made out of inertial matter is slightly smaller than on Earth. But since clocks go faster as well, no-one notices anything unusual about their local environment.

Related distortions

This can be illustrated by analyzing the formula for force F related to inertia: F = ma, where inertia is represented by m and a is an acceleration.

Our model tells us that m on Mercury is less than what it is on Earth. However, a is correspondingly quicker. Plugging our numbers into the formula for force, we get that F is unaffected by the changes in m and a.

Using measurements gathered on Mercury, we get that nothing has changed. This is because our measuring equipment has changed relative to what they were on Earth.

These changes correspond exactly to changes to the weights used for our experiments.

Local observer sees no changes

So, observers on Mercury are unable to detect any change in m or a.

F is exactly the same as on Earth.

However, local observers will notice that Mercury’s orbital radius is greater than what it is when measured from Earth. When we add to this that clocks are ticking faster, we get that local observers see Mercury’s orbit as slower than what is measured from Earth.

But this too is of no consequence to the observer.

Measurements of our sun’s gravity

Keeping in mind that rulers are shorter and clocks tick faster on Mercury, we get that local observers will estimate Mercury’s mass to be greater than similar estimates made on Earth.

So, Mercury’s mass m is greater while its acceleration a is less.

When we plug this into : F = ma, we get that F is unchanged. Our sun’s gravity is the same for observer’s both on Earth and Mercury.

Conclusion

From our analysis of F = ma, we see that measurements of force yield identical values regardless of where the measurements are made.