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> what are quantum fields if not ether? Individual quantum fields are not Lorentz invariant; they define distributions of matter and energy that look different
by pdonis 3y ago
> what are quantum fields if not ether?
Individual quantum fields are not Lorentz invariant; they define distributions of matter and energy that look different in different frames.
The hypothetical ether of Lorentz ether theory, however, is Lorentz invariant: it is basically the vacuum in EM theory. So it looks the same in all frames. (Yes, LET claims that there is one particular frame that is the "absolute rest frame"--but there is no way of telling which frame it is because the ether looks the same in all frames.)
- ramraj07 3y agoIs there anything in quantum fields that directly demand them to not be Lorentz invariant? I feel like these are independent hypotheses..
- pdonis 3y ago> Is there anything in quantum fields that directly demand them to not be Lorentz invariant? To be more precise, any quantum field state except the vacuum will not be Lorentz invariant. That's not something specific to quantum fields: any non-vacuum state in classical special relativity will also not be Lorentz invariant. It will look different in different frames. That's just an obvious consequence of things like length contraction, time dilation, the fact that the energy and momentum of an object are different in different frames, etc.