Curvature effects in special relativity

Abstract

Space-time measurements, of gedanken experiments of special relativity need modification in curved spaces-times. It is found that in a space-time with metric $g$, the special relativistic factor $γ$, has to be replaced by $γ_\g=1/sqrt{g{μν} V^μV^ν}$, where $V_μ=(1,v,0,0)$, is the 4-velocity, and $v$ the relative velocity between the two frames. Examples are given for Schwarzschild metric, Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric, and the Gödel metric. Among the novelties are paradoxical tachyonic states, with $γ_\g$ becoming imaginary, for velocities less than that of light, due to space-time curvature. Relativistic mass becomes a function of space-time curvature, $m=\sqrt{g_{μν}P^μP^ν}$, where $P_μ=(E,p)$ is the 4-momentum, signalling a new form of mach's principle, in which a global object - namely the metric tensor, is effecting interia.