This paper challenges one of the bedrocks of modern science, Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. Lance Osadchey is a medical doctor who has carried out a series of experiments that seem to show that it may be possible to identify an absolute reference frame--a result that, if true, would cut out the beating heart of the Special Theory and throw modern physics on its ear.  

Since I founded SAS back in 1994 we have received dozens of papers that challenged Einstein's ideas.  I have reviewed them all, and I have passed several on to others to review as well. But we have never published any of them. Why not? Because they were all theoretical papers that were either grounded in postulates that violated the known laws of physics, or that contained significant mathematical mistakes. In short, they were clearly wrong on their face and publishing them would, in my view, not have advanced the cause of serious amateur science.  

Dr. Osadchey's paper is different because he hasn't just sat in his chair and daydreamed about the subject. Rather, he has rolled up his sleeves and connected himself to the real world. Dr. Osadchey has carried out a series of experiments that have produced results that, while quite strange, contain a degree of self-consistency that demands an explanation. As someone who understands Einstein's theory very deeply and who also knows well the extraordinary level of experimental vindication that the theory enjoys, I would be astonished if it were ever overturned.  For that reason, I believe that we should all be highly skeptical of Dr. Osadchey's result at this time. Moreover, the paper does contains areas of concern that would probably prevent it from being published in a major peer-reviewed journal. Nevertheless, in my view Dr. Osadchey has done significant experimental work and has earned a fair hearing from his peers here in the citizen scientist community.  

I hope that by publishing this paper we will stimulate the community to think, to experiment, and to debate. I look forward to your analysis, your insights and the results of replications of Dr. Osadchey's work.  

Shawn Carlson, Ph.D. Founder and Executive Director Society for Amateur Scientists

An Experiment to Measure The Absolute Motion of the Earth
Based on the initial experiment of 04/22/2003

Lance Osadchey

Hypothesis

Since a single light ray is believed to exist in its own space-time and proceed straight ahead in propagation at the speed of light and a laser ray approximates a single light ray, these rays have no, or minimal, lateral or sideways motion. Thus, it should be possible to measure the absolute motion of the Earth by (1) comparing the position of the light ray on any material object moving with the Earth, and (2) knowing the distance from the source of light to the object and the lateral displacement of the impact of the ray of light.

Equipment

A solid, low-vibration table or optical bench.

A solid rotating bearing.

A rigid beam 3 meters (10 feet) in length (steel, wood or ceramic).

A laser with positional holder.

An optional series of lenses to retard the laser beam's intensity.

An optional series of lenses to direct and focus the laser beam.

A Charged Coupled Device (CCD) to detect the laser beam connected to appropriate circuitry to record the image of the laser on the CCD and to record a series of images of the laser spot's motion upon the detector.

Suitable equipment to analyze the laser spots position on the image from the CCD.

Procedure

1. The apparatus is assembled on the table. Attach the bearing in the form of a rotating platform to the table. Attach the beam to the bearing with the center of the beam at the center of the bearing (wheel).

2. Use sorbothane to dampen vibrations under the table’s legs and under the beam.

3. Mount the CCD at one end of the beam.

4. Mount the laser with the positional holder at the other end of the beam.

5. Insert a lens near the laser to attenuate the intensity of the laser beam before it strikes the CCD. Record the image of the laser on the CCD at position 1, due north, for example.

6. Rotate the beam at various increments, e.g., every 30 degrees, and record each CCD image at each station for a complete revolution.

7. Use a bit map measurement system to determine the x and y coordinates of the center of the laser spot recorded on the CCD.

8. Analyze the motion of the laser spot.

Results

Shown in this section are representative images of a typical run. The data from the original experiment were corrupted by a computer malfunction, and these from November 2004 are used for analysis. Each station is approximately 30 degrees apart, and a typical run begins at 0 degrees (North) and moves counter-clockwise around the stations ending back at North or 0 degrees.

Bitmap images were used for the analysis. A bitmap allows me to place the pointer over any point in the image and read out the x and y coordinates of the point. With practice, one can come within five pixels for each attempt. Stationary runs, as well as vertical runs, have been done with different results, information, and analysis.

Presented in Figs. 1-13 are the CCD images from a typical horizontal turning series made on 13 November 2004. This refers to the circle the rotating beam makes with respect to the surface of the earth, compared with a vertical or stationary setup. The numbers in each caption are the x and y coordinates.

Figure 14 is a sequential animation of the thirteen individual images.

Figure 14. Animation of the thirteen individual CCD images.

The xy coordinates of the center of the laser beam for each measurement point are plotted in Fig. 15. The points 180 degrees in opposition to one another during the scans are connected by a line for visual clarity.

Figure 15. Plotted here are the xy coordinates of the center of the laser beam for each measurement point. The points 180 degrees in opposition are connected by a line for visual clarity.

Analysis

Each pixel of the CCD measured 4.2 x 4.2 microns.

The geographical coordinates for the experiment were 43 59.513 north latitude and 72 10.450 west longitude.

Using the coordinates of the center of the laser spot, compare the distance in pixels between opposite stations. These are motion lines. Use the Pythagorean theorem to determine the distance between stations of opposite positions. (North to south, 30 degrees to 210 degrees and so on.)

The longest line obtained is 28 pixels and is between the 120 and 300 stations. Thus, if the distance the ray traveled is about 3 meters and light has a velocity of about 0.3 meters per nanosecond, the time for light to travel from the laser to the CCD is 10 nanoseconds. Thus the motion of the CCD must have been about 6.7 kilometers per second to account for the displacement. One has to take half the value of the total displacement since when the CCD is turned to the opposite station, it moves with the same velocity but in a different direction. At exactly half way, the velocity is half of the total displacement. Assuming that the apparatus is perfectly stable and not influenced by temperature or mechanical changes, if there is no motion the laser should always strike the identical position.

Since the surface of the CCD is flat, it can indicate motion only in two dimensions (left-right and up-down). Analysis of the 120, 300 maximum line shows that the maximum motion vector is causing the CCD to move 30 degrees to the east of north. This is just that particular velocity of the vector at that time and that location and positioning of the CCD. The various force vectors the CCD is subject to would be constantly changing.

Summarizing the Experimental Procedure

1. Find the longest line in pixels of opposite stations.

2. Convert to microns by multiplying by pixel size of 4.2 microns.

3. Divide by ½ as the motion vector moves the spot from the center ½ way in each direction.

4. Convert this result which is in micron per 10 nanoseconds to Km. per second. Simply divide by 10.

5. Determine the direction of motion from the coordinates of the line being used recalling the CCD measures motion at right angles to its position.

Conclusions

The CCD was attached firmly to one end of the beam. The laser was securely attached to the other end of the beam. The beam was rotated on the wheel bearing in a ten foot circle, stopping at various points on the circle and taking a picture. This produced motion of the impact site of the laser light on the CCD. I conclude that the CCD was moving at different velocities, in a field of motion, at each station where the image of the beam was recorded. Since the beam was 3 meters in length, this gave a 10-nanosecond time from initiation of light at the source to detection at the CCD. This gave the detector time to move slightly during this time period. As the detector is moving with the velocity of the earth, it recorded the velocity at various angles as it was turned. Using the shorter motion lines produce results for the motion vector in that direction which the apparatus is set.

Discussion

I have done many horizontal rotation series, one of which is presented here, as well as stationary and vertical settings with the apparatus (which I named a Velador).
Motion to the front or back of the CCD cannot be measured. Turning the Velador will allow different aspects of the vector to be found.
In a horizontal rotation series, as was shown here, the Velador does not find the vertical component of the motion vector. A vertical orientation would show this component.

I believe this concept is in accordance with Einstein’s second postulate which states “that light is always propagated in empty space with a definite velocity, c, which is independent of the state of motion of the emitting body.”1

Michelson, during his famous experiment, initially considered the arm of the instrument transverse to the line of motion of the equipment to have no effect compared to a stationary arm.2

Further information can be found at my web site www.lanceosadchey.com.

Questions can be sent to me at osadchey1234@hotmail.com

“Who Turns The Light?” is a book I wrote that covers the first steps in this project.

Bibliography

1 A. Einstein, The Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies” (published as Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Körper, in Annalen der Physik. 17:891, 1905) from The Principle of Relativity.

2 Loyd S. Swenson Jr., The Ethereal Aether, University of Texas Press, 1972.