[meteorite-list] Second experiment confirms faster-than-light particles

From: JoshuaTreeMuseum <joshuatreemuseum_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:07:16 -0500
Message-ID: <B2C276E6A9C04FB5BBA808254B16D367_at_ET>

----- Original Message -----
From: "Matson, Robert D." <ROBERT.D.MATSON at saic.com>
To: "JoshuaTreeMuseum" <joshuatreemuseum at embarqmail.com>;
<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 6:44 PM
Subject: RE: [meteorite-list] Second experiment confirms faster-than-light
particles


Hi Phil,

It was my understanding that the mystery of the CERN faster-than-
light-speed neutrino result was solved over a month ago: failure
to account for the relativistic motion of the GPS clocks used to
time the neutrinos.

GPS satellites orbit in planes inclined 55 degrees relative to
the equator, coincidentally somewhat parallel to the neutrino
flight path bearing on the ground. From the satellite's perspective,
both the positions of the neutrino source and the neutrino detector
are changing: in this particular case, from the perspective of the
GPS clock, the detector is moving towards the neutrino source, and
consequently the distance travelled by the particles -- as measured
in the frame of the clock -- is shorter than the distance measured
on the ground. As a result, the neutrinos should arrive about 32
nanoseconds early: an amount that must be doubled because the same
error occurs at each end of the experiment. So the total correction
is 64 nanoseconds: almost exactly what the OPERA team observed.

If they ran the experiment a second time and got the same result,
it seems to me that it is only confirming a prediction of
special relativity. --Rob

---------------------

It seems unbelievable that the relativistic satellite motion has not been
brought to their attention. I mean if you guys know about it, wouldn't they?
I've also read elsewhere about this effect and how it could be skewing the
results. I find it hard to believe they don't know about this and would not
make the necessary corrections.

Phil Whitmer
Received on Fri 18 Nov 2011 09:07:16 PM PST