Polarizable vacuum analysis of the gravitational metric tensor

Abstract

The gravitational metric tensor implies a variable dielectric tensor of vacuum around gravitational matter. The curved spacetime in general relativity is then associated with a polarizable vacuum. It is found that the number density of the virtual dipoles in vacuum decreases with the distance from the gravitational centre. This result offers a polarizable vacuum interpretation of the gravitational force. Also, the anisotropy of vacuum polarization is briefly discussed, which appeals for observational proof of anisotropic light propagation in a vacuum altered by gravitational or electromagnetic field.