![Nothing travels faster than the speed of Light:
Evidently proving Einstein’s postulation
C M Vijay - Astrophysicist
Door No.3, Ganapathy Nagar 2nd
Street, M M Colony,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, PIN: 600051, INDIA
E-mail: astrophysicist.cmvijay1969@gmail.com
Abstract: Albert Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity postulates that the speed of
Light is the upper limit beyond which nothing can travel, so that, the essential relation
between cause and effect would be maintained. Contrary to this irrefutable Physical
Law, controversies related to the speed of Light exist among the scientists; the final
solution for this most debated topic in the Physical Sciences is yet under debate. The
Speed of Light (299,792 km/sec) was adopted in the year 1983 based on the
measurement of a Laser beam, and accordingly, it is thought that Light from the Sun
takes about eight minutes to reach our Planet Earth. In fact, there are much
dissimilarity between a Laser beam and the Sunlight. Laser Light starts off from a
two-dimensional output of a narrow cylindrical tube and travels in the form of a beam
retaining the same Intensity. Whereas, Sunlight emanates from the three-dimensional
spherical surface of the Sun; obviously, the Light emanated from the spherical surface
of the Sun will not travel in the form of a beam, but only expand away from all-
around the spherical Sun - simultaneously decreasing the Intensity. We can measure
the Intensity of Sunlight as “per unit area”, for example: the average Intensity of
Sunlight above the Earth’s atmosphere has been measured as 1,367 watts per square
meter; this is not possible with a Laser beam because Laser is a monochromatic and
coherent Light, whereas the Sunlight is poly-chromatic - it spreads in all directions.
This indicates that the speed of a Laser beam does not apply to Sunlight. Therefore,
we need to find out the “actual process” with which the Sunlight makes contact with
the Solar Planets, so as to reconcile the existing discrepancies about the “speed of
Light”, and thus justify Albert Einstein’s postulation on Light.
Keywords: Kinetic Energy; Intensity of Sunlight; Expansion of Sunlight; Concurrent
Decrease of Intensity; Enlarged Sphere.
1. Introduction
Emission of Energy by the Sun: Under the influence of extreme density, temperature and
pressure (density: 1.622 × 105
kg/cm3
, temperature: 1.571 × 107
K, pressure: 2.477 × 1011
bar) [1] nuclear reactions take place in the Sun’s Core, thereby exuding tremendous amount
of Energy as a by-product. This Energy spreads out through the successive layers of radiative
zone and the convective zone to reach the photosphere - eventually escaping into space as
Kinetic Energy [2, 3]. This way, the Sun emits Energy from all around its three-dimensional
spherical surface with an Intensity of 63,000,000 Watts per Square meter (Wm-2
) [4], as
shown in Figure 1:](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lightisinstantaneous-160828152412/85/Light-is-instantaneous-1-320.jpg)
![Figure 1 The Sun emits Energy into space from its spherical surface in all dimensions
with an Intensity of 63,000,000 Wm-2
The Energy thus emanated with enormous Intensity, expands in all directions - concurrently
decreasing the Intensity, and makes contact with the Solar Planets as Sunlight with respective
Intensities - in accordance with the Planets’ Orbital Distances. Please refer Figure 2:
Figure 2 Sunlight makes contact with the Planets with appropriate Expansion and
respective Intensity - according to the Orbital Distance of the Planets
Therefore, we shall analyze the Physical Characteristics of Sun and the Orbital Distance of
the Planets in a “Three-Dimensional” perspective, so as to find out the “Modus Operandi”
behind this phenomenon.
2. Three-Dimensional Analysis on the Sun’s Physical Characteristics and Planet Earth’s
Mean Orbital Distance to find out the procedure of Sunlight’s contact with Planet Earth
2.1. The Mode of Sunlight’s contact with our Planet Earth at its Mean Orbital Distance
The Sun is a near perfect sphere [5]; its Equatorial Radius is 696,342 km [6] and its Surface
Area is 6,090,000,000,000 km2
[7]. To make contact with our Planet Earth at its Mean Orbital
Distance i.e. 149,600,000 km [8], the Light emanated from the spherical surface of the Sun](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lightisinstantaneous-160828152412/85/Light-is-instantaneous-2-320.jpg)
![The above analysis shows that the Light emanated from the spherical surface of the Sun
with an Intensity of 63,000,000 Wm-2
, expands 46,157 Times - concurrently decreasing the
Intensity, and makes contact with Planet Earth in the form of an Enlarged Sphere - with an
Intensity of 1,365 Wm-2
; the same Intensity will be existing on all sides of the Enlarged
Sphere.
Surprisingly, the Intensity of Sunlight at the Earth’s Mean Orbit - calculated as per the
Theoretical Calculations precisely agrees with the Practical Data collected by way of
satellites [9] as shown in Figure 5:
Figure 5 The average Intensity of Sunlight outside the Earth’s atmosphere during the
period from 1980 to 2005 - as measured by the satellites, is shown in the Figure above
Therefore, it is evident that the Amount of Expansion of Sunlight (46,157 Times) at the
Earth’s Mean Orbit and the Intensity of Sunlight obtained by the Planet Earth (1,365 Wm-2
)
are perfectly synchronized i.e., the Sunlight Expands 46,157 Times concurrently Lessening
the Intensity by exactly the same amount of its Expansion (46,157 Times):
2
263,000,000
1,365
46,157
Wm
Wm
Times
In the same way, while the Planet Jupiter is at the farthest distance from the Sun in its Orbit
(816,600,000 km), the Sunlight Expands 1,375,280 Times simultaneously decreasing its
Intensity and makes contact with the Planet with an Intensity of 45.81 Wm-2
.
As the Sunlight makes contact with a Planet instantaneously - in lieu of any mediation or
channel, it will be possible for us to observe Sunlight only at its source and at the Planet
facing the Sun; it is not possible for us to see Sunlight in the space between these two (the
Sun and the Planet - which reflects it). Please refer Figure 6 which shows Sunlight’s
instantaneous contact with Planet Jupiter.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lightisinstantaneous-160828152412/85/Light-is-instantaneous-5-320.jpg)
Light is instantaneous
- 1. Nothing travels faster than the speed of Light: Evidently proving Einstein’s postulation C M Vijay - Astrophysicist Door No.3, Ganapathy Nagar 2nd Street, M M Colony, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, PIN: 600051, INDIA E-mail: astrophysicist.cmvijay1969@gmail.com Abstract: Albert Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity postulates that the speed of Light is the upper limit beyond which nothing can travel, so that, the essential relation between cause and effect would be maintained. Contrary to this irrefutable Physical Law, controversies related to the speed of Light exist among the scientists; the final solution for this most debated topic in the Physical Sciences is yet under debate. The Speed of Light (299,792 km/sec) was adopted in the year 1983 based on the measurement of a Laser beam, and accordingly, it is thought that Light from the Sun takes about eight minutes to reach our Planet Earth. In fact, there are much dissimilarity between a Laser beam and the Sunlight. Laser Light starts off from a two-dimensional output of a narrow cylindrical tube and travels in the form of a beam retaining the same Intensity. Whereas, Sunlight emanates from the three-dimensional spherical surface of the Sun; obviously, the Light emanated from the spherical surface of the Sun will not travel in the form of a beam, but only expand away from all- around the spherical Sun - simultaneously decreasing the Intensity. We can measure the Intensity of Sunlight as “per unit area”, for example: the average Intensity of Sunlight above the Earth’s atmosphere has been measured as 1,367 watts per square meter; this is not possible with a Laser beam because Laser is a monochromatic and coherent Light, whereas the Sunlight is poly-chromatic - it spreads in all directions. This indicates that the speed of a Laser beam does not apply to Sunlight. Therefore, we need to find out the “actual process” with which the Sunlight makes contact with the Solar Planets, so as to reconcile the existing discrepancies about the “speed of Light”, and thus justify Albert Einstein’s postulation on Light. Keywords: Kinetic Energy; Intensity of Sunlight; Expansion of Sunlight; Concurrent Decrease of Intensity; Enlarged Sphere. 1. Introduction Emission of Energy by the Sun: Under the influence of extreme density, temperature and pressure (density: 1.622 × 105 kg/cm3 , temperature: 1.571 × 107 K, pressure: 2.477 × 1011 bar) [1] nuclear reactions take place in the Sun’s Core, thereby exuding tremendous amount of Energy as a by-product. This Energy spreads out through the successive layers of radiative zone and the convective zone to reach the photosphere - eventually escaping into space as Kinetic Energy [2, 3]. This way, the Sun emits Energy from all around its three-dimensional spherical surface with an Intensity of 63,000,000 Watts per Square meter (Wm-2 ) [4], as shown in Figure 1:
- 2. Figure 1 The Sun emits Energy into space from its spherical surface in all dimensions with an Intensity of 63,000,000 Wm-2 The Energy thus emanated with enormous Intensity, expands in all directions - concurrently decreasing the Intensity, and makes contact with the Solar Planets as Sunlight with respective Intensities - in accordance with the Planets’ Orbital Distances. Please refer Figure 2: Figure 2 Sunlight makes contact with the Planets with appropriate Expansion and respective Intensity - according to the Orbital Distance of the Planets Therefore, we shall analyze the Physical Characteristics of Sun and the Orbital Distance of the Planets in a “Three-Dimensional” perspective, so as to find out the “Modus Operandi” behind this phenomenon. 2. Three-Dimensional Analysis on the Sun’s Physical Characteristics and Planet Earth’s Mean Orbital Distance to find out the procedure of Sunlight’s contact with Planet Earth 2.1. The Mode of Sunlight’s contact with our Planet Earth at its Mean Orbital Distance The Sun is a near perfect sphere [5]; its Equatorial Radius is 696,342 km [6] and its Surface Area is 6,090,000,000,000 km2 [7]. To make contact with our Planet Earth at its Mean Orbital Distance i.e. 149,600,000 km [8], the Light emanated from the spherical surface of the Sun
- 3. extends in all directions - concurrently decreasing the Intensity, and makes contact with Earth in the form of an “Enlarged Sphere” - the radius (r) of this Enlarged Sphere is the distance from “centre of the Sun to the Mean Orbital Distance (MOD) of Earth”, as shown in Figure 3: Figure 3 shows Sun at the center - encircled with the Enlarged Sphere formed by the Sunlight at the Mean Orbital Distance of Earth; Planet Earth positioned in any point on the surface of this Enlarged Sphere will get Sunlight with the same Intensity - in all the positions 2.2. Intensity of Sunlight at the Mean Orbital Distance of Earth To get the Intensity of Sunlight obtainable by Planet Earth, we have to pass through the three steps of computation i.e., Step 1: Calculate the Surface Area of the Enlarged Sphere formed by the Sunlight at the Earth’s Mean Orbital Distance, Step 2: Find out the Amount (Number of Times) of Expansion of Sunlight from its “Source” to the “Earth’s Mean Orbit”, and Step 3: Demonstrate the Intensity of Sunlight obtainable by the Planet Earth.
- 4. Step 1: Surface Area of the Enlarged Sphere formed by the Sunlight at Earth’s Mean Orbit Formula for the Surface Area of a Sphere is 4πr2 ; then, Surface Area of the Enlarged Sphere formed by the Sunlight at the Earth’s Mean Orbit will be: 2 4 Mean Orbital Distance of Earth 2 4 3.14 149,600,000km 2 12.56 22,380,160,000,000,000km 2 281,094,809,600,000,000km Therefore, Surface Area of the Enlarged Sphere formed by the Sunlight at the Earth’s Mean Orbit is 281,094,809,600,000,000 km2 . Step 2: The Amount (Number of Times) of Expansion of Sunlight The Amount of Expansion of the Sunlight at the Mean Orbit of Earth shall be arrived at by dividing the “Surface Area of the Enlarged Sphere” by the “Surface Area of the Sun”: 2 2 281,094,809,600,000,000 6,090,000,000,000 km km Thus, the “Surface Area of the Enlarged Sphere” formed by Sunlight at the Earth’s Mean Orbit is 46,157 Times bigger than the “Surface Area of the Sun”. Step 3: Intensity of Sunlight at top of the Earth’s Atmosphere The Intensity of Sunlight at the Earth’s Mean Orbit (on all sides of the Enlarged Sphere formed by Sunlight at the Earth’s Mean Orbit) shall be found as shown below: ’ Intensity of Sunlight at its Source Intensity of Sunlight at the Earth s Mean Orbit Amount of Expansion of Sunlight 2 263,000,000 1,365 46,157 Wm Wm Times Please refer Figure 4. Figure 4 Because the Intensity of Sunlight is perfectly in tandem with its Expansion: 2 263,000,000 1,365 46,157 Wm Wm Times , this phenomenon takes place instantaneously; as the Sunlight eludes the space in-between the Sun and Earth, Sunlight at its Source “(a)” and the Expanded Sunlight at the Earth’s Orbit “(b)” are instantly connected with each other (please refer the above Figure) (1) (2) (3)
- 5. The above analysis shows that the Light emanated from the spherical surface of the Sun with an Intensity of 63,000,000 Wm-2 , expands 46,157 Times - concurrently decreasing the Intensity, and makes contact with Planet Earth in the form of an Enlarged Sphere - with an Intensity of 1,365 Wm-2 ; the same Intensity will be existing on all sides of the Enlarged Sphere. Surprisingly, the Intensity of Sunlight at the Earth’s Mean Orbit - calculated as per the Theoretical Calculations precisely agrees with the Practical Data collected by way of satellites [9] as shown in Figure 5: Figure 5 The average Intensity of Sunlight outside the Earth’s atmosphere during the period from 1980 to 2005 - as measured by the satellites, is shown in the Figure above Therefore, it is evident that the Amount of Expansion of Sunlight (46,157 Times) at the Earth’s Mean Orbit and the Intensity of Sunlight obtained by the Planet Earth (1,365 Wm-2 ) are perfectly synchronized i.e., the Sunlight Expands 46,157 Times concurrently Lessening the Intensity by exactly the same amount of its Expansion (46,157 Times): 2 263,000,000 1,365 46,157 Wm Wm Times In the same way, while the Planet Jupiter is at the farthest distance from the Sun in its Orbit (816,600,000 km), the Sunlight Expands 1,375,280 Times simultaneously decreasing its Intensity and makes contact with the Planet with an Intensity of 45.81 Wm-2 . As the Sunlight makes contact with a Planet instantaneously - in lieu of any mediation or channel, it will be possible for us to observe Sunlight only at its source and at the Planet facing the Sun; it is not possible for us to see Sunlight in the space between these two (the Sun and the Planet - which reflects it). Please refer Figure 6 which shows Sunlight’s instantaneous contact with Planet Jupiter.
- 6. Figure 6 Sunlight evades the space in-between by way of decreasing its Intensity Whereas, since a Laser beam travels in an external mediation at a finite speed, we can view the whole beam - from its output till its endpoint. Please refer Figure 7. Figure 7 As the Laser beam propagates in an external mediation at a finite speed the entire beam is visible to us This ensures that the Intensity of Sunlight is Inversely Proportional to its Expansion. Therefore, we can find out the Intensity of Sunlight obtainable by all the Solar Planets using the Formula shown below: 2 63,000,000 “ ” Intensity of Sunlight Obtainable by the Planet underway Intensity of Sunlight at its Source Wm Amount of Expansion of Sunlight x Number of Times
- 7. 5. Conclusions The Energy emanated from the spherical surface of the Sun with immense Intensity, extends in all directions - concurrently decreasing the Intensity, so as to make contact with the Planets as Sunlight - in the form of an Enlarged Sphere. When the Planet underway is positioned in any point on the surface of this Enlarged Sphere i.e., when the Planet is located in any direction from the Sun at the same distance, the Planet will get Sunlight with the same Intensity - in all the positions. Because the Amount (number of times) of Expansion of Sunlight is perfectly in accordance with its Intensity, and as the Sunlight eludes / escapes the space in-between by the influence of its Intensity to make contact with the Solar Planets with respective Intensities, this phenomenon takes place instantaneously; Sunlight is a manifestation of Kinetic Energy. Light of all the three-dimensional natural sources like: the Stars, Galaxies, etc., also follow the same fashion. We observe Light from them in the same moment of their emission; Natural Light is therefore indiscrete / inseparable. Acknowledgements The author is grateful to the Scientists of NASA and ESA for painstakingly collecting the vital data of our Solar System - by way of satellites and space probes, and for making them accessible in the public domain. The author is also grateful to the Scientists for making available accurately the physical characteristics of the Sun. These established facts have been very essential in this three dimensional study on the Intensity of Sunlight. References 1 Dr. David R. Williams “Sun Fact Sheet”. NASA. (Published online. Last updated on: 13 August 2015). 2 Kenneth J. H. Phillips “Guide to the Sun”. (Cambridge University Press. 1995) pp. 47-53. 3 Jack B. Zirker “Journey from the Center of the Sun”, (Princeton University Press. 2002) pp. 15-34. 4 Michael Pidwirny. “Solar Radiation” Topic Editor: Kevin Vranes. (The Encyclopedia of Earth, Published online. 2012). 5 Dr. Tony Phillips “How Round is the Sun?” NASA. (Published online. Last updated on: 2 October 2008). Credit: Science@NASA. 6 Emilio, M.; Kuhn, J. R.; Bush, R. I.; Scholl, I. F. "Measuring the Solar Radius from Space during the 2003 and 2006 Mercury Transits". (The Astrophysical Journal, 2012). Volume 750, Issue 2, Article ID 135. 7 "Solar System Exploration: Planets: Sun: Facts & Figures". NASA. Published online. 8 Dr. David R. Williams. “Earth Fact Sheet”. NASA. (Published online. Last updated on: 18th November 2015). 9 Harold Zirin “Solar Constant” (The Encyclopaedia Britannica, Published online. 2015).