Special Relativity -- Applications to astronomy and the accelerator physics

TL;DR

This paper explores the fundamental aspects of special relativity, emphasizing its operational interpretation, the distinction between observable quantities and conventions, and clarifying common misconceptions in relativistic kinematics.

Contribution

It offers a new perspective on special relativistic kinematics, focusing on operational definitions and the role of conventions, which is not extensively covered in traditional textbooks.

Findings

Clarifies the operational meaning of relativistic quantities

Distinguishes between observable data and conventions

Addresses common paradoxes in special relativity

Abstract

There are many books on the classical subject of special relativity. However, after having spent a number of years, both in relativistic engineering and research with relativity, I have come to the conclusion that there exist a place for a new book. I do believe that the present book is not quite the same as the others, mainly due to attempt to cast light on dark corners. I should make it clear what this little book is not. It is not a textbook on relativity theory. What the book is about is the nature of special relativistic kinematics, its relation to space and time, and the operational interpretation of coordinate transformations. Every theory contains a number of quantities that can be measured by experiment and an expressions that cannot possibly be observed. Whenever we have a theory containing an arbitrary convention, we should examine what parts of the theory depend on the choice of that convention and what parts do not. The distinction is not always made and many authors claim some data to be observable, according to arbitrary conventions, which do not correspond to any physical experiment. This leads to inconsistencies and paradoxes that should be avoided at all cost.