Coriolis Force and Sagnac Effect

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the optical Sagnac effect under a gravity-like Coriolis force, demonstrating consistency between rotating and laboratory observers and revealing how photon trajectories differ due to fictitious gravitational fields.

Contribution

It introduces a novel perspective by modeling the Sagnac effect with a gravity-like Coriolis force, clarifying observer perspectives and photon trajectory differences.

Findings

Photon trajectories differ in radius due to Coriolis force.

Effective gravitational potentials vary for co- and anti-rotating photons.

No contradiction between laboratory and rotating observer conclusions.

Abstract

We consider the optical Sagnac effect, when the fictitious gravitational field simulates the reflections from the mirrors. It is shown that no contradiction exists between the conclusions of the laboratory and rotated observers. Because of acting of gravity-like Coriolis force the trajectories of co- and anti-rotating photons have different radii in the rotating reference frame, while in the case of the equal radius the effective gravitational potentials for the photons have to be different.