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To: InterceptPoint
... the velocity of incoming cosmic rays should be independent of the velocity of the platform you are on.

Correct. But the energy is different based on the (perceived/experienced) wavelength.

94 posted on 08/01/2005 3:02:58 PM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Cboldt
Correct. But the energy is different based on the (perceived/experienced) wavelength.

That is true.

But wouldn't the higher energy "blue" cosmic rays be offset by their lower energy "red" counterparts (the ones you are running away from) with it all averaging out to same thing you would see at zero velocity. This would depend on the source of course. I'm assuming uniformity in three dimensions. You may be talking about cosmic rays from the sun or some known source. Well that would be different. In that case I would agree with you.

It still seems to me that if the source of the cosmic rays is not known and the incoming rays are independent of angle then you should not be able to make any measurement on these rays that would tell you anything about your velocity. If the energy of the rays in the forward direction is higher than the rays coming in from your rear then a measurement of this energy would tell you what your absolute velocity is. Except that there is no absolute velocity. Of course if you knew the source of the cosmic rays then you could obviously make a measurement of your relative velocity with respect to that source.

This relativity stuff is really difficult.

101 posted on 08/01/2005 3:20:05 PM PDT by InterceptPoint
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