Is Doubly Special Relativity Connected to Variable Light Speed?

In summary, Doubly Special Relativity is a theory that says there is an invariant Planck-energy or Planck-length. The speed of light and the Planck constant are the same in every reference frame, and the gravitational constant, G, is also the same.
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jjzeidner
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Hello. This is my first post on this site.

anyone here familiar with "Doubly Special Relativity"? an ARXIV paper was linked in the OP. Some follow up links or other advice would be appreciated.


thanks!
 
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  • #2
why was this moved here and given an incorrect title?
 
  • #3
jjzeidner said:
why was this moved here and given an incorrect title?
Because this is the proper forum for the topic. I have fixed the title.
 
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the link I posted was FROM at page!
 
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I know - my post was intended as a note to people who might read your post and be confused about what OP it was referencing, since your post is now an OP in its own thread and no longer a reply to the FAQ thread.
 
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I'm struggling with what this thread is trying to do. Is it a complaint that things were moved? Is it a request that somebody summarize the paper and explain DSR? Is there some specific question?
]

People seem to be upset, but the parth to making them un-upset does not seem clear to me.
 
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  • #8
I think doubly SR is a thing from the past. There was a flurry of interest. It basically says that besides an invariant speed of light there is an invariant Planck-energy or Planck-length. Is the Planck length Lorentz-invariant?

The speed of light and the Planck constant are the same in every reference frame. Is G too?
 
  • #9
A "yes" for a change ;).

All (fundamental) physical constants are 'invariant' as in observer independent. But the Planck’s constant or Boltzmann’s constant are not called 'Lorentz invariants'.

(In GR, of course G=c=1 so it would be really weird if it wasn't.)
 
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  • #10
Thelamon said:
A "yes" for a change ;).

All (fundamental) physical constants are 'invariant' as in observer independent. But the Planck’s constant or Boltzmann’s constant are not called 'Lorentz invariants'.

(In GR, of course G=c=1 so it would be really weird if it wasn't.)
But is G the same if measured in different frames?
 
  • #11
Thelamon said:
A "yes" for a change ;).

All (fundamental) physical constants are 'invariant' as in observer independent. But the Planck’s constant or Boltzmann’s constant are not called 'Lorentz invariants'.

(In GR, of course G=c=1 so it would be really weird if it wasn't.)
We can read:

"Doubly special relativity[1][2] (DSR) – also called deformed special relativity or, by some[who?], extra-special relativity – is a modified theory of special relativity in which there is not only an observer-independent maximum velocity (the speed of light), but also, an observer-independent maximum energy scale (the Planck energy) and/or a minimum length scale (the Planck length)."

Why say there is a minimum length scale, the Planck length, if it's Lorentz invariant already? Well the length itself changes for different observers. It goes to zero like all lengths. But DSR says this won't happen. Which is strange.
 
  • #12
BoraxZ said:
The speed of light and the Planck constant are the same in every reference frame. Is G too?
It's a little bit weird imo saying "the speed of light" (without c) and "the Planck constant" (without h) and then just G, so a little advice it's better to be complete and clear, specially if you're going to write an article once upon a time .. so Gravitational constant, G.
BoraxZ said:
But is G the same if measured in different frames?
Yes, measurements made which are not, are observer- or frame dependent.
BoraxZ said:
We can read
Yes, at least everyone reading this or anything else.
 
  • #13
BoraxZ said:
Why say there is a minimum length scale, the Planck length, if it's Lorentz invariant already? Well the length itself changes for different observers. It goes to zero like all lengths. But DSR says this won't happen. Which is strange.
The length constant doesn't shrink in that theory -- just as the value of ##c## doesn't change if you perform a Lorentz boost to a different velocity.

To understand this properly, one must look at the actual coordinate transformations proposed in the theory. Wikipedia quotes de Sitter Relativity as an example of DSR. Its length constant is indeed invariant.
 
  • #14
Doubly special relativity is related to pseudo-differential operators. This is why the speed of light is variable. The best place to learn about pseudo-differential operators is Rindler’s book ‘Relativity - special, general and cosmological’
 
  • #15
dx said:
Doubly special relativity is related to pseudo-differential operators. This is why the speed of light is variable. The best place to learn about pseudo-differential operators is Rindler’s book ‘Relativity - special, general and cosmological’
Please give a more specific reference. I cannot find the term "pseudo-differential" anywhere in that Rindler book. (I have the 2nd edition.)
 

FAQ: Is Doubly Special Relativity Connected to Variable Light Speed?

What is Doubly Special Relativity (DSR)?

Doubly Special Relativity (DSR) is a modified theory of special relativity that incorporates an additional invariant scale, typically related to the Planck length or Planck energy, alongside the speed of light. This theory aims to address certain issues in quantum gravity and proposes that both the speed of light and the Planck scale are constant and invariant for all observers.

How does DSR differ from Einstein's Special Relativity?

While Einstein's Special Relativity is based on two postulates—the constancy of the speed of light for all observers and the principle of relativity—DSR introduces a third invariant: the Planck scale. This additional invariant aims to reconcile the principles of quantum mechanics with relativity, suggesting that the structure of spacetime may change at very small scales.

Is the speed of light variable in DSR?

In standard formulations of DSR, the speed of light remains constant and invariant. However, some interpretations and extensions of DSR explore the possibility of a variable speed of light (VSL) at very high energies or small scales, but these are not universally accepted and remain speculative.

What are the implications of a variable speed of light in DSR?

If the speed of light were variable in the context of DSR, it could have profound implications for our understanding of spacetime, causality, and the fundamental constants of nature. It could potentially resolve certain paradoxes in quantum gravity and provide insights into the behavior of the universe at Planck-scale energies.

Has DSR been experimentally verified?

As of now, Doubly Special Relativity has not been experimentally verified. It remains a theoretical framework that offers intriguing possibilities but requires empirical evidence. Future experiments in high-energy physics and astrophysics may provide data that could support or refute the predictions of DSR.

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