East European Journal of Physics (Oct 2017)
LIGHT ABERRATION IN OPTICAL ANISOTROPIC SINGLE-AXIS MEDIUM
Abstract
The entrainment of the light flux by a uniaxial anisotropic medium and its influence on the measurement of stellar aberration are analyzed. The influence of the entrainment of the light flux by an isotropic medium on the measurement of stellar aberration was considered by Fresnel early. The absence of such influence was confirmed by Erie's experience when filling the telescope tube with water. The formula itself was perfectly confirmed by Fizeau's experiments with moving water and the repetition of this experiment with an increase in the accuracy of measurements by Michelson, Zeeman, and others. G.A. Lorentz already on the basis of the electromagnetic theory specified the formula with allowance for the frequency dispersion of the light flux. A. Einstein made an analysis of the schemes of experiments for determining the drag coefficient, covering all possible variants of similar experiments. As a result, he obtained Fresnel and Lorentz formulas, taking into account the frequency dispersion of light, starting from the theory of relativity. The entrainment of light and its influence on the measurement of stellar aberration by a uniaxial anisotropic medium have not been considered anywhere. An analysis of such influence is carried out. The results of the analysis indicate the possibility of measuring the current value of stellar aberration using a uniaxial anisotropic medium. The concept of active light aberration is introduced. The proposed schemes of experiments of using the entrainment of a light flux by an anisotropic substance for measuring the current value of stellar aberration are investigated. It is concluded that it is possible to study the determination of the current velocity of an inertial system relative to the light flux.
