Gravitational Wave Speed: Undefined. Experiments Proposed

Daniel Russell

doi:10.3897/rio.4.e25606

Abstract

Since changes in all 4 dimensions of spacetime are components of displacement for gravitational waves, a theoretical result is presented that their speed is undefined, and that the Theory of Relativity is not reliable to predict their speed. Astrophysical experiments are proposed with objectives to directly measure gravitational wave speed, and to verify these theoretical results. From the circumference of two merging black hole's final orbit, it is proposed to make an estimate of a total duration of the last ten orbits, before gravitational collapse, for comparison with durations of reported gravitational wave signals. It is proposed to open a new field of engineering of spacetime wave modulation with an objective of faster and better data transmission and communication through the Earth, the Sun, and deep space. If experiments verify that gravitational waves have infinite speed, it is concluded that a catastrophic gravitational collapse, such as a merger of quasars, today, would re-define the geometry and curvature of spacetime on Earth, instantly, without optical observations of this merger visible, until billions of years in the future.

Highlights

Gravity is a characteristic of mass, which defines the geometry and curvature of the spacetime continuum, so gravitational waves re-define the geometry and curvature of spacetime, itself
Gravitational waves should be called, spacetime waves, because they re-define the geometry and curvature of spacetime, itself, rather than something travelling through spacetime
Since there is no quantum field theory of gravitation, which is consistent with all laws of physics, and since the Theory of Relativity does not apply to something re-defining a curvature of spacetime, itself, it cannot be relied upon to predict the speed of gravitational waves

Summary

Introduction

Gravity is a characteristic of mass, which defines the geometry and curvature of the spacetime continuum, so gravitational waves re-define the geometry and curvature of spacetime, itself. Experiments Proposed angles with respect to this imaginary line connecting the two LIGO sites, seismic wave-fronts from tremmors originating from anywhere in the Earth on these planes would arrive at both LIGO sites with a small time-difference, such that the signal would appear to travel at the speed of light from one LIGO site to the other.

Results

Conclusion