Asenjo, Felipe and Hojman, Sergio and Linnemann, Niels and Read, James (2023) Abnormal light propagation and the underdetermination of theory by evidence in astrophysics. [Preprint]
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Abstract
We investigate the propagation of certain non-plane wave solutions to Maxwell's equations in both flat and curved spacetimes. We find that such solutions (or rather parts of them) exhibit accelerative behaviour, and in particular do not propagate on straight lines. Having established these results, we then turn to their conceptual significance---which, in brief, we take to be the following: (i) one should not assume that the part of electromagnetic waves from outer space that is subject to detection is localised onto null trajectories; therefore (ii) astrophysicists and cosmologists should at least be wary about making such assumptions in their inferences from obtained data, for to do so may lead to incorrect inferences regarding the nature of our universe.
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| Item Type: | Preprint | |||||||||||||||
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| Additional Information: | Forthcoming in Annals of Physics. | |||||||||||||||
| Keywords: | underdetermination, theory-dependence, electromagnetism, wave velocity, Airy beam | |||||||||||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Physics > Astrophysics Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory |
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| Depositing User: | Dr. James Read | |||||||||||||||
| Date Deposited: | 15 Nov 2023 01:25 | |||||||||||||||
| Last Modified: | 15 Nov 2023 01:25 | |||||||||||||||
| Item ID: | 22774 | |||||||||||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Physics > Astrophysics Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory |
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| Date: | 14 November 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/22774 |
Available Versions of this Item
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Abnormal light signals and the underdetermination of theory by evidence in astrophysics. (deposited 16 May 2023 12:54)
- Abnormal light propagation and the underdetermination of theory by evidence in astrophysics. (deposited 15 Nov 2023 01:25) [Currently Displayed]
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