Member

Relativity Theory currently rests upon
devastating inconsistencies: 1) embracing the function of transverse
e.m. (TEM) waves as perfect messengers but denying the presence of an aether as
defined by Maxwell's equations, and essential for their existence; 2) overlooking
that force communication between two electromagnetically defined, finite-sized,
objects is progressively velocity-limited to c (e.g. Weber
1854; Heaviside 1889), so this is what we observe with electromagnetic
accelerators, not mass-increase; 3) assuming that the finite properties
of fundamental particles (mass and magnetism) can be physically generated
within spatially infinitesimal singularities, despite powerful evidence that
they are of finite size.

Continuum Theory (CT) apparently offers
a competent and even more fruitful replacement for Special Relativity/General
Relativity (SR/GR) and these basic inconsistencies. CT is based on (A)
implementing Maxwell's aether as a massless all-pervasive quasi-superfluid
elastic continuum of (negative) electric charge and (B) seeing mass-bearing
fundamental particles as finite-sized vortical constructs of aether in motion, (e.g.
Maxwell, Larmor, etc), so their diffraction is no surprise. For
oppositely-charged particles, one sort contains more aether and the other less,
so particle-pair creation is ?easy'. This defines mean aether density as 10³⁰coulombs/cm³ at
the very least, so it provides a near-irrotational reference frame for our
observations of ?absolute' direction with suitable devices.

CT recognizes the aether as reference
frame for translational behaviour of otherwise-separate bodies. This
legitimizes the vector addition of velocities, yielding a resultant >c,thereby escaping SR's need for the Lorentz transformations. Under (B)
the particle mass is measured by the aether-sucking capability of its vortex,
positive-only gravitation being because the force gradient makes sucking
themselves together the statistically prevalent expectation. This activity
maintains a radial aether density gradient - the ?Gravity-Electric (G-E) Field'
- around and within any gravitationally retained assemblage, so Newton's
description of gravitation is an incomplete one. The effect on c of
that charge density gradient yields gravitational lensing. Phenomenologically,
aether motions inside and outside particles offer to do each of the jobs
currently assigned to bosons.

We show that G-E Field action on
sufficiently charged ions and plasma is, and has been, astronomically
ubiquitous. This strictly radial outward force has the property, shared with
radiation pressure, of increasing the angular momentum of material driven
outward at constant tangential velocity. Spiral galaxies no longer require cold
dark matter (CDM) to explain this pattern. The force has comprehensive relevance
to the high specific angular momenta achieved in solar planet formation, to
their prograde spins and to exoplanet observations. Other probable cases
include the solar wind, prodigious mass loss rates of high-mass stars
(supervening radiation pressure, which would inhibit building them) and the
acceleration of ~10¹⁹ eV cosmic rays from neutron star surfaces,
where the G-E field may attain 10¹²V/m.

The MM experiment was no basis for
discounting the aether if it has a particle-tied nature, as in CT. But rejection
enabled Einstein to evade that it might be in random motion, causing
transmission effects. But a particle-tied character renders such motion
inescapable. I show that random motion of aether charge gives rise to four
distance-cumulative, wavelength-independent transmission effects upon
TEM-waves, plus the generation of a low level of TEM-wave emission (the CMB).
Redshift, one of the effects, has been observed experimentally and is
demonstrably manifest as the cosmic redshift and as intrinsic redshifts
generated in intragalactic plasmas and stellar atmospheres, including solar.
This removes Big-Bang expansion and any need for CDM to control it. Dark Energy
is not required either; the demand for it arises solely from applying the
relativistic doppler formula to a linear redshift, which is inappropriate if
the redshift is not a velocity. Random electromagnetic excitation at small
scales by all-pervasive aether motion offers a potential basis for activity of
the Weak Nuclear Force, for quantum electrodynamical behaviour and the ZPF.

Finally, and briefly, the c-dependent
mode of gravitational inter-communication in CT leads directly to Paul
Gerber's (1898) formal resolution of perihelion advance, adopted,
unacknowledged, by Einstein for GR. This lays a path to a Mach's Principle
origin of inertia and suggests that inertial force is c-limited
also, yielding a new and fruitful QSO model with lots of intrinsic redshift,
including those of the Ly forest
(of absorption lines). The aether motion which constitutes a mass-bearing
particle needs space in which to exist, which limits the mass-capacity of a
black hole. When this is exceeded, e.g. by shrinkage, mass annihilation and a
gamma ray burst (GRB) is likely, with potential for light-element synthesis.
The CT cosmology which emerges is of an infinite Electric Universe with
progressive auto-creation of mass-bearing particles from the random motions of
the aether, its original energy resource. Gravitational interactions enhance
energy levels and the rate of auto-creation, explaining the creation of
clustered galaxies. Such ongoing creation inverts the Big-Bang view that low
metallicity material is very old and illuminates its prevalence in dwarf galaxies
and spiral galaxy haloes. Deprived of such material infall, galaxies in the
centres of clusters evolve into plasma-poor Ellipticals. Five further
experimental tests of CT are suggested.

Relativity Theory rests upon two devastating inconsistencies:- (1) embracing the function of transverse EM waves as perfect messengers but denying the presence of a Maxwell's equations aether, essential for their existence; (2) failing to recognize that force communication between two electromagnetically defined objects is progressively velocity-limited to c (e.g. Heaviside 1889), so this is what we observe with electromagnetic accelerators, not mass-increase.

CT is based on (A) implementing Maxwell's aether as a massless all-pervasive superfluid elastic continuum of (negative) electric charge and (B) seeing mass-bearing fundamental particles as vortical constructs of aether in motion, (e.g. Maxwell, Larmor, etc), so their diffraction is no surprise. For oppositely-charged particles, one sort contains more aether and the other less, so particle-pair creation is ?easy'. This defines mean aether density as >10³⁰ coulombs/cm³, so it provides a near-irrotational reference frame for our observations of ?absolute' direction with suitable devices.

Recognizing the aether as reference frame for translational behaviour of otherwise-separate bodies legitimizes the vector addition of velocities, yielding a resultant >c, thereby escaping SR's need of the Lorentz transformations. Under (B) the particle mass is measured by the aether-sucking capability of its vortex, positive-only gravitation being because sucking themselves together is the statistically prevalent expectation. This activity maintains a radial aether density gradient - the ?Gravity-Electric (G-E) Field' - around and within any gravitationally retained assemblage, so Newton's is an incomplete description of gravitation. The effect on c of that charge density gradient yields gravitational lensing.

We show that G-E Field action on sufficiently charged ions and plasma is, and has been, astronomically ubiquitous. This strictly radial outward force has the property, shared with radiation pressure, of increasing the angular momentum of material, but at constant tangential velocity. Spiral galaxies no longer require CDM to explain this. The force has comprehensive relevance to the high a.m. achieved in solar planet formation, to their prograde spins and to exoplanet observations. Other probable cases are the solar wind, prodigious mass loss rates of high-mass stars and the acceleration of ~10¹⁹ eV cosmic rays from neutron star surfaces.

The MM experiment was no basis for discounting the aether if it has a particle-tied nature, as in CT. But rejection enabled Einstein to evade that it might be in random motion, causing transmission effects. A particled character renders such motion inescapable, however. I show that random motion of aether charge gives rise to four distance-cumulative, wavelength-independent transmission effects upon TEM waves, plus the generation of a low level of TEM-wave emission (the CMB). Redshift, one of the effects, is demonstrably manifest as the cosmic redshift and as intrinsic redshifts generated in stellar atmospheres, including solar. This removes BigBang expansion and any need for CDM to control it. Dark Energy is not required either; need for it has arisen solely from application of the relativistic doppler formula, which is inappropriate if the redshift is not a velocity. Random electromagnetic excitation at small scales by all-pervasive aether motion offers a potential basis for quantum electrodynamical behaviour and the ZPF.

Finally, and briefly, the c-dependent mode of gravitational intercommunication in CT leads directly to Paul Gerber's (1898) formal resolution of perihelion advance, adopted, unacknowledged, by Einstein for GR. This lays a path to a Mach's Principle origin of inertia and suggests that inertial force is c-limited also, yielding a new and fruitful QSO model with lots of intrinsic redshift (including that of the Lya forest), and a big reduction in the masses of supposed ?black holes'.

Five further experimental tests of CT are suggested.

This contribution is primarily about the transmission of transverse electromagnetic
(TEM) waves, our principal source of physical information. Relativity, as its name
implies, seeks to describe relationships between entities in various circumstances but doesn't
illuminate the nature of those entities, a gap that quantum electrodynamics and particle physics
try to fill. A variety of well-observed phenomena, to be outlined below, appear inconsistent with
this currently accepted framework of physics. It will be shown that these phenomena indicate the
need for a physics framework that admits the occurrence of TEM-wave transmission effects, a
factor explicitly denied in the conceptual basis of Special Relativity (SR). To help with these
matters, a continuum (aether) theory (CT) of physical nature is outlined in which particles are
special, rather (but finitely) concentrated, mainly-rotational forms of disturbance of the continuum.
Particle random motions imply random motion of the aether, and this affects the propagation
of TEM waves by it. Under this proposal particles are "made" of aether (originally a
suggestion of Larmor, 1894), and the Michelson-Morley result is satisfied. The relativity
principle, that nothing can exceed the local velocity of TEM waves, will be firmly retained but
regarded as only strictly applicable at the smallest scale of physical nature - that of the local
aether....