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The operation of a sound clock is, in principle, straightforward: a sound pulse is emitted by the clock when an observer wishes to begin recording time, and after travelling to the end of the sound clock arm it is detected, whereupon a new sound pulse (the ‘echo’) is then emitted back towards the central clock mechanism. Upon reception of the echo, the clock reading is advanced forward by one tick. Note that this figure depicts one sound clock at three distinct moments in time as opposed to three sound clocks at one moment in time.
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Sound propagation within certain non-relativistic condensed matter models obeys a relativistic wave equation despite such systems admitting entirely non-relativistic descriptions. A natural question that arises upon consideration of this is, "do devices exist that will experience the relativity in these systems?" We describe a thought experiment in...
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Citations
... In the following, a short excerpt is provided on the 2023 article of John Macken on : "A Single Field Model of the Universe", in addition to the more recent 2024 paper on: Oscillating Spacetime: The Foundation of the Universe, in which Macken states: "According to contemporary physics, the universe is made up of matter fields, whose quanta are fermions and force fields whose quanta are bosons. All these fields have zero-point energy" (Barcelo, 2008 The properties of fields are currently designated at points in spacetime as a number or tensor (Todd, 2017;Cheng, 2021;Shanahan,2023), authors that initially pointed out the sonic character of spacetime. The first question is, how many fields are required to create everything observable in the universe? ...
Our recent work on the nature of Gravity and Dark Energy is based on the Acoustic Code of Resonant Coherence, representing a fractal series of discrete EMF frequencies that are postulated to guide multiple processes in the cosmos and life and also in various non-animated processes related to life. This Acoustic or Sonic frequency pattern was revealed by us to be expressed at the macro-level as primordial quantum fluctuations (CMB, Gravitational waves, Zero-point Energy field oscillations, Light and color spectra of our Sun), on the meso-level that determine Life conditions (brain wave activity, life sustaining and disturbing EMF frequencies, tumor frequencies, as well as processes in physics such as superconductivity, entanglement, Boson energy distribution, Planck black/body oscillations and many other fundamental processes. It was shown that creation of Gravity/Dark Energy can be envisioned as the result of primordial electron/ proton pair production that induces left and right-handed vortices in a superfluìd quantum space/lattice, bipolar pairs that are associated with sound particles or phonons. This process can be described by toroidal geometry in the form of phonon-fermion quasi-particles or polarons, in which the dual positive/negative charged pairs generate a Bi-polaron structure. In a similar manner, positron/anti-proton pair interaction is conceived, adding the aspect of anti-matter to the dynamic model. The latter was modeled in a so-called mirror-universe (matter/anti-matter) concept, that together provides the geometry of the dynamic composite wave-particles framed by us as the Twin-Bipolaron modalities. We hold that this basic quantum data interactive structure, is omnipresent in all atoms and molecules. The intrinsic phonon guiding of this integral cosmological process focused our attention on a "Sound/ or Sonically"-mediated cosmology as earlier suggested in several studies, such as of Macken, Fedi, Verlinde, Vopson, Thomson and Langan. In the present paper we systematically compare the feature of the latter theories with our Twin-Bipolaron cosmology model, and find general agreement, but also some differences. In the latter respect, the Twin-Bipolaron model both provides a congruence with the heterotic string classes HO(32) and HE(64) version of current String theory and also can be seen as a fifth boson gauge interaction in the present Standard model. From several other Cosmology/Gravity models that were presented in the last decade, we conclude that there is increasing evidence for the manifestation of a sound-induced or sonic universe. We finally submit a hypothesis on the very nature of Dark Energy and Dark Matter on the basis of our Mass/Energy/Information Equivalence conjecture, indicating that the collective phonon/photon guiding aspect, generated by matter/antimatter annihilation, may represent the supposed Dark Energy, expressed as physical Information, while the quasi-particle phonon/electron/proton composites may reflect the unidentified Dark Matter. It is finally concluded that the Cosmos is neither a giant machine, nor a versatile computer but rather a musically inspired and fine-tuned electro/gravitational process, that requires an eternal observer or an omnipotent composer of the splendid symphony we all can experience. 2
... In the following, a short excerpt is provided on the 2023 article of John Macken on : "A Single Field Model of the Universe", in addition to the more recent 2024 paper on: Oscillating Spacetime: The Foundation of the Universe, in which Macken states: "According to contemporary physics, the universe is made up of matter fields, whose quanta are fermions and force fields whose quanta are bosons. All these fields have zero-point energy" (Barcelo, 2008 The properties of fields are currently designated at points in spacetime as a number or tensor (Todd, 2017;Cheng, 2021;Shanahan,2023), authors that initially pointed out the sonic character of spacetime. The first question is, how many fields are required to create everything observable in the universe? ...
Our recent work on the nature of Gravity and Dark Energy is based on the Acoustic Code of Resonant Coherence, representing a fractal series of discrete EMF frequencies that are postulated to guide multiple processes in the cosmos and life and also in various non-animated processes related to life. This Acoustic or Sonic frequency pattern was revealed by us to be expressed at the macro-level as primordial quantum fluctuations (CMB, Gravitational waves, Zero-point Energy field oscillations, Light and color spectra of our Sun), on the meso-level that determine Life conditions (brain wave activity, life sustaining and disturbing EMF frequencies, tumor frequencies, as well as processes in physics such as superconductivity, entanglement, Boson energy distribution, Planck black/body oscillations and many other fundamental processes. It was shown that creation of Gravity/Dark Energy can be envisioned as the result of primordial electron/ proton pair production that induces left and right-handed vortices in a superfluìd quantum space/lattice, bipolar pairs that are associated with sound particles or phonons. This process can be described by toroidal geometry in the form of phonon-fermion quasi-particles or polarons, in which the dual positive/negative charged pairs generate a Bi-polaron structure. In a similar manner, positron/anti-proton pair interaction is conceived, adding the aspect of anti-matter to the dynamic model. The latter was modeled in a so-called mirror-universe (matter/anti-matter) concept, that together provides the geometry of the dynamic composite wave-particles framed by us as the Twin-Bipolaron modalities. We hold that this basic quantum data interactive structure, is omnipresent in all atoms and molecules. The intrinsic phonon guiding of this integral cosmological process focused our attention on a "Sound/ or Sonically"-mediated cosmology as earlier suggested in several studies, such as of Macken, Fedi, Verlinde, Vopson, Thomson and Langan. In the present paper we systematically compare the feature of the latter theories with our Twin-Bipolaron cosmology model, and find general agreement, but also some differences. In the latter respect, the Twin-Bipolaron model both provides a congruence with the heterotic string classes HO(32) and HE(64) version of current String theory and also can be seen as a fifth boson gauge interaction in the present Standard model. From several other Cosmology/Gravity models that were presented in the last decade, we conclude that there is increasing evidence for the manifestation of a sound-induced or sonic universe. We finally submit a hypothesis on the very nature of Dark Energy and Dark Matter on the basis of our Mass/Energy/Information Equivalence conjecture, indicating that the collective phonon/photon guiding aspect, generated by matter/antimatter annihilation, may represent the supposed Dark Energy, expressed as physical Information, while the quasi-particle phonon/electron/proton composites may reflect the unidentified Dark Matter. It is finally concluded that the Cosmos is neither a giant machine, nor a versatile computer but rather a musically inspired and fine-tuned electro/gravitational process, that requires an eternal observer or an omnipotent composer of the splendid symphony we all can experience.
... The second article is "Sonic Clocks and Sonic Relativity" by Todd and Menicucci [11]. They describe a thought experiment in which "sonic observers" possess devices called "sound clocks" that are analogous to Einstein's light clocks. ...
... The article states, "moving observers perceive stationary sound clock chains to be length contracted and time dilated exactly as one would expect from a naïve application of the relativistic formula with c being the speed of sound instead of the speed of light." [11]. The third article by D. Shanahan [12] refutes objections to the sonic universe model and shows that wave-based elementary particles in the sonic universe do a good job explaining the physical origin of the Lorentz transformation. ...
... His successful general relativity addressed just the macroscopic properties of gravity and acceleration. Equation (11) was generated by a bottom-up approach that started with oscillating spacetime being a nonlinear medium and the wave-based electron model causing a nonlinear distortion in this medium. This bottom-up approach reveals the underlying physics of how fermions create curved spacetime. ...
This article presents a wave-based model of the universe. Spacetime is characterized as a wave propagation medium formed by Planck length/time oscillations. A theoretical model of an electron is derived from this medium. This model generates both an electron’s electrostatic and gravitational forces. The model predicts that these forces are closely related. This prediction is proven when it is shown that the gravitational force between two Planck masses exactly equals the electrostatic force between two Planck charges. Both these force magnitudes equal ħc/r^2. Gravitational properties are also derived from an electron’s quantum mechanical wave properties.
... On the other hand, and although light tends to be at the centre of most relativistic issues, there is an important number of questions related to the relativity of sound (maximum speed of sound, sound clocks, nature of spacetime etc. [361,362,193,258,347]). This chapter is also on the relativity of sound, but only on its propagation through media that are sonic isotropic in their proper reference frames (proper sonic isotropic media, PSIM for short). ...
... The pole in the barn (Chapter), 167 The pole, the barn and the photo-sensor (Section), 168 The Principle of Inertia (Section), 361,378 The Principle of Inertia in discrete space and time (Section), 380 The Principle of Relativity (Section), 86 The principles of relativity (Section), 35 The principles of relativity in discrete mechanics (Section), 498 The problem of change (Section), 576 The refractive index (Section), 142 The rigid glass rod (Section), 73 The rolling disk (Section), 71 The rotating bar argument, [103][104][105][106][107][108][109] The rotating clocks (Section), 212 The Scenario of the Discussion (Section), 246 The sliding cylinders, 390-396 The speed of light (Section), 382 The speed of light in discrete space and time (Section), 385 The speed of sound (Section), 220 The speed of sound from the perspective of RF o (Section), 222 The speed of sound from the perspective of RF v . (Section), 222 The twin clocks argument (Section), 554 The Twin Paradox Revisited (Chapter), 86 The unbalanced scale (Section), 304 The universe is consistent (Section), 486 ...
This book analyzes the possibility that the relativistic deformations of space and time were only apparent, not real. He also introduces the concept of preinertia, a universal attribute of all physical objects that makes it impossible to detect absolute motion. Preinertia and discrete space and time are then used to propose an alternative to the theory of special relativity compatible with all its experimental support.
... The second article is "Sonic Clocks and Sonic Relativity" by Todd and Menicucci [2]. They describe a thought experiment in which "sonic observers" possess devices called "sound clocks" that are analogous to Einstein's light clocks. ...
... The article states, "moving observers perceive stationary sound clock chains to be length contracted and time dilated exactly as one would expect from a naïve application of the relativistic formula with c being the speed of sound instead of the speed of light." [2] The third article, "Why not a Sound Postulate?" [3] is an attempt to disprove the contentions of the previous two. ...
... Here is a list of the symbols and equations that will be commonly used. ωc = mc 2 ...
The quantum vacuum is modeled as Planck length oscillations at Planck frequency. This has the quantifible properties of a single field, capable of generating everything in the universe. An electron is modeled as a rotating soliton wave in this medium. This model has an electron's energy and wave properties. Most important it generates and unites an electron's gravitational and electrostatic forces.
... Consider, for example, the fact that the same mathematics can be used to model an oscillating spring as an LC circuit [1]. In this article, we further explore the fact-already investigated in recent works such as [2][3][4][5]-that the mathematical structure of Minkowski spacetime does not depend upon the exchange of light signals specifically but rather that many distinct physical systems and phenomena manifest Lorentz symmetries, albeit with potentially different invariant speeds (e.g., the speed of light versus speed of sound). ...
... This current work is preceded by Refs. [2,3], in which the behaviour of sonically relativistic systems was analysed through reference to an external environment (the lab)-in which information can propagate at the speed of light-and an acoustic subsystem (the sonic medium) consisting of a solid or fluid. Internal to the acoustic subsystem, sound pulses can be thought to take the place of light signals, and thus, experiments analogous to those performed with light in special relativity can be performed with sound pulses. ...
... We refer to observers embedded within an acoustic subsystem as internal observers and ordinary observers in the lab as external observers. It was shown in Ref. [3] that internal observers who perform experiments that measure lengths and durations via the exchange of phonons 2 will observe length contraction and time dilation as described by the usual formulae from special relativity in a spacetime in which Lorentz invariance is obeyed but with the speed of sound c s replacing the speed of light c in the Lorentz factor-hence, ...
In sonic models of special relativity, the fact that the sonic medium violates (ordinary) Lorentz symmetry is apparent to observers external to the sonic medium but not to a class of observers existing within the medium itself. We show that the situation is symmetric: internal observers will judge physics in the external laboratory to violate their own sonic Lorentz symmetries. We therefore treat all observers on an equal footing such that each is able to retain a commitment to their own Lorentz symmetries. We then generalize beyond the case of subsystem-environment decompositions to situations in which there exist multiple phonon fields, all obeying Lorentz symmetries but with different invariant speeds. In such cases, we argue that all observers have freedom to choose which field is symmetry preserving, and so -- in a certain precise sense -- which other fields are perceived as having an 'ether.' This choice is influenced -- but not determined -- by a desire for simplicity in the description of physical laws. Sending information faster than sound serves as a model of tachyonic signalling to a distant receiver. Immutable causality of the laboratory setup when perceived externally to a sonic medium manifests internally through the confinement of the tachyons to an apparent ether (with a rest frame), which we call a 'tachyonic medium,' thereby preventing tachyonic exchange from emulating the scenario of a round-trip signal travelling into an observer's past causal cone. The assignment of sonic-Lorentz-violating effects to fields that obey 'photonic' Lorentz symmetries thus ensures that causality associated with the 'sonic' Lorentz symmetries is preserved.
... The authors discuss model universes (see their footnote 16) in which the materials from which clocks and other measuring devices are constructed are "governed by sonic Poincaré invariant laws". They refer in particular to the models of Barceló and Jannes [4] and Todd and Menicucci [5], "situated in the broader context of 'analogue gravity'-the investigation of relativistic physics by way of surrogate physical systems". 2 My primary objective in this paper will be to follow Cheng and Read into these curiously unorthodox "fishbowl universes" 3 to demonstrate how this wave-based modelling of the elementary particles might explain, whereas the current orthodoxy does not, the physical origin of the Lorentz transformation. ...
... Yet Poincaré [10,11], at least, had seen that all fundamental forces must evolve at the velocity c, referring specifically to gravity, which was the only other fundamental force then known. 5 As quoted by McFadden in his recently published book on Occam's razor [12], at p. 51. I will conclude by comparing Lorentzian relativity with three later conceptions of the Lorentz transformation, these being the special relativity of Einstein, the Minkowskian spacetime approach, and Brown's "dynamic relativity" [13]. ...
... Todd and Menicucci [5] show in their model how all the curious changes predicted by the Lorentz transformation-not only the contraction, but also the dilation of time and the failure of simultaneity-might be replicated by a chain of sound clocks, these being akin to light clocks except that the return journey between opposed mirrors is made by sound waves rather than electromagnetic waves. ...
In support of their contention that it is the absence of a subsisting medium that imbues the speed of light with fundamentality, Bryan Cheng and James Read discuss certain “fishbowl universes” in which physical influences evolve, not at the speed of light, but that of sound. The Lorentz transformation simulated in these sonic universes, which the authors cite from the literature of analogue gravity, is not that of Einstein, for whom an aether was “superfluous”, but that of the earlier relativity of Lorentz and Poincaré, which did suppose such a medium. The authors’ intention is not to argue analogically, but simply to contrast the situation of light with that of sound. However, I argue that these universes are too successful as analogues to support the authors’ case. By reducing Lorentzian relativity to its bare essentials, they provide a compelling demonstration of the viability and explanatory strengths of the earlier theory. They show how a thoroughly wave-theoretic treatment of the elementary particles would explain why all aspects of matter transform in like manner, thereby avoiding a difficulty that was a significant reason for the demise of Lorentzian relativity after 1905. Importantly, these sonic universes suggest a unifying explanation, not only of the Lorentz transformation and de Broglie wave, but of the principle of relativity, which was merely postulated, rather than explained, by Einstein in 1905.
... (ii) for the study of detectors in media (which has been previously treated in [15,35,36]), and for possible connections to analogue models of relativity [37,38]. ...
In this paper, we extend the Unruh-DeWitt (UDW) model to include a relativistic quantized center of mass (COM) for the detector, which traditionally has a classical COM and follows a classical trajectory. We develop a relativistic model of the detector following two different approaches, starting from either a first- or second-quantized treatment, which enables us to compare the fundamental differences between the two schemes. In particular, we find that the notion of localization is different between the two models, and leads to distinct predictions which we study by comparing the spontaneous emission rates for the UDW detector interacting with a massless scalar field. Furthermore, we consider the UDW system in both a vacuum and medium, and compare our results to existing models describing a classical or quantized COM at low energies. We find that the predictions of each model, including the two relativistic cases, can in principle be empirically distinguished, and our results can be further extended to find optimal detector states and processes to perform such experiments. This would clarify both the role of a quantized COM for interactions with an external field, and the differing localizations between the first- and second-quantized treatments.
... The authors consider universes (see their footnote 16) in which the materials from which clocks and other measuring devices are constructed are "governed by sonic Poincaré invariant laws". They refer in particular to models of Barceló and Jannes [4] and Todd and Menicucci [5], "situated in the broader context of 'analogue gravity'-the investigation of relativistic physics by way of surrogate physical systems" 3 . ...
... Todd and Menicucci [5] show in their model how all the curious changes predicted by the Lorentz transformation -not only the contraction, but also the dilation of time and the failure of simultaneity -might be replicated by a chain of sound clocks, these being akin to light clocks except that the return journey between opposed mirrors is made by sound waves rather than electromagnetic waves. ...
... In the interferometer of Barceló and Jannes, these were wave-like disturbances propagating from each quasiparticle in an array of such quasiparticles. In the chain of sound clocks described by Todd and Menicucci [5], the counter-propagating waves comprised sequences of sound pulses making return trips between opposed re ‡ectors. These structures were thus capable in principle of replicating the de Broglie wave as a modulation, as might have become apparent had the derivations proceeded in terms of the changing frequencies and wave numbers of those counter-propagating waves. ...
... On the other hand, and although light tends to be at the centre of most relativistic issues, there is an important number of questions related to the relativity of sound (maximum speed of sound, sound clocks, nature of spacetime etc. [11,12,3,6,10]). This article is also on the relativity of sound, but only on its propagation through media that are sonic isotropic in their proper reference frames (proper sonic isotropic media, PSIM for short). ...
This paper demonstrates the existence of relativistic anisotropies in the speed of sound through all sonic isotropic media, irrespective of the relative velocity at which they are observed, as long as that relative velocity is greater than zero. Anisotropies that do not agree with our current empirical knowledge of sound propagation through such sonic isotropic media. Being immediately deduced from the relativistic phase difference in synchronization, this unexpected (and physically unacceptable) behaviour of sound forces a discussion related to the reinterpretation of the special relativity, particularly of the relativistic deformations of space and time that originate these exotic sonic anisotropies as inevitable mathematical artifacts.
