Relativistic Interpretation (with Non-Zero Photon Mass) of the Small Ether Drift Velocity Detected by Michelson, Morley and Miller
Jean Pierre Vigier
Keywords: ether drift, Newtonian Mechanics, Michelson-Morley, Miller
A detailed analysis of the Michelson-Morley ether drift experiment (from 1887 to 1926) contradicts the classical law of addition of velocities. The small ether drifts first observed by Michelson are not compatible with Newtonian Mechanics. This result paved the way for the first form of the Theory of Relativity in which light velocity is always equal to c in all directions, and no such drift is possible. It is shown in this letter that the introduction of a small photon mass mg ~ 10-65 gr. by Einstein, Schr?dinger, de Broglie et al implies a small anisotropy in the velocity of light (at each frequency) and the reintroduction of an observable absolute inertial frame. Consequently, in conjunction with Dirac's chaotic covariant ether distribution, this provides a relativistic interpretation of Michelson's 8.1 km/s absolute earth ether drift observation, later confirmed by Miller in 1933. More recent results are briefly discussed.
