Relativity in the future of engineering

Author

Ashby, Neil

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys., Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO, USA

Volume

43

Issue

4

fYear

1994

fDate

8/1/1994 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

505

Lastpage

514

Abstract

Improvements in clock technology make it possible to develop extremely accurate timing, ranging, navigation, and communications systems. Three relativistic effects, time dilation, the Sagnac effect, and gravitational frequency shifts, must be accounted for in order for modern systems to work properly. These effects are related in a nonmathematical way to fundamental relativity principles: constancy of the speed of light, and the principle of equivalence. Examples of current and future engineering applications are discussed, such as in the Global Positioning System, in time synchronization systems, communications, and geodesy

Keywords

general relativity; geodesy; gravitation; navigation; radionavigation; satellite relay systems; special relativity; synchronisation; time measurement; Global Positioning System; Sagnac effect; breakdown; clock technology; communications; coordinate time; engineering; geodesy; gravitational frequency shifts; navigation; ranging; relativistic effects; relativity principles; speed of light; time dilation; time synchronization; timing; Atomic clocks; Frequency synchronization; Global Positioning System; Mercury (metals); Navigation; Optical propagation; Relativistic effects; Sagnac interferometers; Stability; Timing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Instrumentation and Measurement, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9456

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/19.310159

Filename

310159