Experiment

Table 7.2 Independent experiments bearing on Special Relativity – type and notes on reciprocity

Experiment

Type

Notes on reciprocity

Bradley

Aberration

Moon exempt

Fresnel

Fresnel drag

Existence of aether

Airy

Existence of aether

Water in scope ignored

Michelson-Morley

No universal aether

Aether ‘‘entrained’’?

De Sitter

c independent of source

Double star aberration

Sagnac

c depends on rotation

Local gravity field non-rotating

Kennedy-Thorndike

Clocks slow

Motion w.r.t. local gravity field

Ives-Stilwell

Ions slow

Motion w.r.t. local gravity field

Frisch-Smith

Mesons live longer

Motion w.r.t. local gravity field

Hafele-Keating

Clocks depend on rotation

Preferred frame indicated

GPS

Universal synchronization

Preferred frame = local gravity