Proper co-ordinates of non-inertial observers and rotation

TL;DR

This paper explores the proper non-inertial coordinate system for rotating observers, revealing that relativistic length depends solely on instantaneous velocity and that light remains isotropic at speed c.

Contribution

It introduces and applies the concept of proper non-inertial coordinates to analyze relativistic effects in rotating frames, clarifying the role of velocity versus acceleration.

Findings

Relativistic length depends only on instantaneous velocity.

Light remains isotropic and at speed c in proper non-inertial frames.

Observers on a rotating ring share the same local light speed regardless of rotation.

Abstract

By proper co-ordinates of non-inertial observers (shortly - proper non-inertial co-ordinates) we understand the proper co-ordinates of an arbitrarily moving local observer. After a brief review of the theory of proper non-inertial co-ordinates, we apply these co-ordinates to discuss the relativistic effects seen by observers at different positions on a rotating ring. Although there is no relative motion among observers at different positions, they belong to different proper non-inertial frames. The relativistic length seen by an observer depends only on his instantaneous velocity, not on his acceleration or rotation. For any observer the velocity of light is isotropic and equal to $c$, provided that it is measured by propagating a light beam in a small neighbourhood of the observer.