tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post2671620943519177261..comments2024-03-16T04:13:10.154-07:00Comments on Physics with an edge: Comment on LIGO Gravitational WavesMike McCullochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00985573443686082382noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post-13403840907218314272016-04-14T05:41:28.540-07:002016-04-14T05:41:28.540-07:00Ryan Pavlick: Thanks for your comment. I've ju...Ryan Pavlick: Thanks for your comment. I've just looked up LISA pathfinder. They say the L1 orbit is a 'possible mission extension'. I hope they do it!Mike McCullochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00985573443686082382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post-42782540159905398252016-02-26T01:17:40.262-08:002016-02-26T01:17:40.262-08:00The "Is it falsifiable?" thing is a bit ...The "Is it falsifiable?" thing is a bit of a red herring. For phenomena requiring high precision and noise control - e.g. neutrino reactions in a big tank of dry-cleaning fluid - , only theory can guide us. If the data fits the theory, then that's confirmation. If *no data* arises - e.g. non-observation of proton-decay - then that's disconfirmation of a slew of theories. Demanding multiple LIGOs to "confirm it independently" is a bit like asking for independent nuclear detonations to confirm nuclear theory - sure, you could do it (and we did) but do you really want to?<br /><br />Of course, we should always be sceptical of GR "orthodoxy" dictating what can't be observed. Like all the Physics Grand Inquisitors (i.e. Learned idiots) who say EM-Drives or LENRs *can't* work, therefore there's no need to experiment and all observations *must* be mistaken. Gravitational Waves - and Black Holes - have similar Learned Idiots, who say they *can't* exist too. Unlike the Orthodox Learned Idiots, they get labelled as "cranks".qraalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13436948899560519608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post-1954516674864455772016-02-18T19:26:45.130-08:002016-02-18T19:26:45.130-08:00LISA Pathfinder, which is basically LIGO in space,...LISA Pathfinder, which is basically LIGO in space, could test MiHsC if the mission is extended.<br /><br />From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LISA_Pathfinder<br /><br />"A possible mission extension would perform some measurements to confirm the general relativity theory. By flying through the saddle point where the Earth and Sun's gravity cancel out, the spacecraft might prove whether Einstein's theory still holds when gravitational accelerations are extremely small. If it does, it would test theoretical alternatives of general relativity, such as Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) and TeVeS.[19]"Ryan Pavlickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00889118190372082068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post-38912349030302299132016-02-17T14:54:30.121-08:002016-02-17T14:54:30.121-08:00Indeed, MiHsC implies there are no inertial frames...Indeed, MiHsC implies there are no inertial frames. A big conceptual change, but with tiny physical consequences in our normal regime.Mike McCullochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00985573443686082382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post-47586457134427852072016-02-17T13:35:43.155-08:002016-02-17T13:35:43.155-08:00@ Mike:
It just occurred to me, but if there is a...@ Mike:<br /><br />It just occurred to me, but if there is a minimal acceleration that is always going on, does this not imply that the whole physical way of thinking in terms of inertial frames is plain wrong? And all conclusions drawn from it?<br /><br />RegardsZeroIsEverythinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236152077605874591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post-33447404300820165602016-02-17T12:31:40.248-08:002016-02-17T12:31:40.248-08:00I agree mike, and I'd like to add another pers...I agree mike, and I'd like to add another perspective. Not only is this not falsifiable, but there is no direct evidence of the likelihood of the distribution of these events. Fortunately, the LIGO detector is omnidirectional(?), but until we have a few more events on record, some caution is warranted. A perspective check. The event happened 1.3 billion years ago, and the tool to receive the signal has only been in existence for 20 years. Some odds, eh?<br /><br />I visited the facility a few years back, so I am very happy they got some data, but I agree I would like a bit more data...!phildelltablethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12225074254951441021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post-25269774001239077592016-02-17T11:47:43.796-08:002016-02-17T11:47:43.796-08:00Kimmo: Very true - data is always good. It's n...Kimmo: Very true - data is always good. It's not the data I'm wary of, but the immediate pigeon-holing of it.Mike McCullochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00985573443686082382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post-89736071228306534592016-02-17T10:28:12.878-08:002016-02-17T10:28:12.878-08:00At least LIGO detected something and *most likely*...At least LIGO detected something and *most likely* it wasn't a microwave oven ;-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16842237142348106304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4637778157419388168.post-72258634940845633502016-02-16T10:39:21.965-08:002016-02-16T10:39:21.965-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.NeaGixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12076751129322693782noreply@blogger.com