The Procrustean Bed effect for light

Abstract

This paper proposes a new way of describing the propagation of light between an emitter and an observer in relative motion as an alternative to Lorentz transformations and the relativistic Doppler effect. We introduce a refined Doppler effect that we call the Procrustean Bed (PB) effect for light, where light waves change in frequency, length, and speed. The PB confirms the wave nature of light and acknowledges the existence of a luminiferous medium (ether) that conditions a constant speed of light in accordance with Maxwell’s predictions. Our results are consistent with the Ives-Stilwell experiment (a fundamental test to validate special relativity), relating the transmitted light frequency to the geometric mean of its observed parallel and anti-parallel frequencies. However, PB revealed that emitters and observers can have relative motions beyond the speed of light, where negative frequencies can be observed, which in some cases appear to come from the opposite direction of their source. If this effect is applied to gravity waves, it may result in observers experiencing a repulsive gravity, which may contribute to the expanding universe.