2011 Nobel Prize in Physics
Posted on October 4, 2011 Comments (4)
Photos of the 2011 Physics Nobel Prize Winners.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2011 with one half to
Saul Perlmutter
The Supernova Cosmology Project, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
and the other half jointly to
Brian P. Schmidt
The High-z Supernova Search Team, Australian National University, Weston Creek, Australia
and
Adam G. Riess
The High-z Supernova Search Team, Johns Hopkins University and Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
“for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae”
Once again the USA dominates the physics category, Brian Schmidt is a USA and Australian citizen. It will be interesting to see if this starts to change in the next decade. I believe it will at some point fairly soon, the question is at what point.
“Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice…” Robert Frost, Fire and Ice, 1920
What will be the final destiny of the Universe? Probably it will end in ice, if we are to believe this year’s Nobel Laureates in Physics. They have studied several dozen exploding stars, called supernovae, and discovered that the Universe is expanding at an ever-accelerating rate. The discovery came as a complete surprise even to the Laureates themselves.
In 1998, cosmology was shaken at its foundations as two research teams presented their findings. Headed by Saul Perlmutter, one of the teams had set to work in 1988. Brian Schmidt headed another team, launched at the end of 1994, where Adam Riess was to play a crucial role.
The research teams raced to map the Universe by locating the most distant supernovae. More sophisticated telescopes on the ground and in space, as well as more powerful computers and new digital imaging sensors (CCD, Nobel Prize in Physics in 2009), opened the possibility in the 1990s to add more pieces to the cosmological puzzle.
The teams used a particular kind of supernova, called type Ia supernova. It is an explosion of an old compact star that is as heavy as the Sun but as small as the Earth. A single such supernova can emit as much light as a whole galaxy. All in all, the two research teams found over 50 distant supernovae whose light was weaker than expected – this was a sign that the expansion of the Universe was accelerating. The potential pitfalls had been numerous, and the scientists found reassurance in the fact that both groups had reached the same astonishing conclusion.
For almost a century, the Universe has been known to be expanding as a consequence of the Big Bang about 14 billion years ago. However, the discovery that this expansion is accelerating is astounding. If the expansion will continue to speed up the Universe will end in ice.
The acceleration is thought to be driven by dark energy, but what that dark energy is remains an enigma – perhaps the greatest in physics today. What is known is that dark energy constitutes about three quarters of the Universe. Therefore the findings of the 2011 Nobel Laureates in Physics have helped to unveil a Universe that to a large extent is unknown to science. And everything is possible again.
As usually the Nobel committee does a great job of providing the public open scientific information. Others that claim to promote science can learn from them. They do a great job of making the science understandable to a lay person.
The growing rate of the expansion implies that the Universe is being pushed apart by an unknown form of energy embedded in the fabric of space. This dark energy makes up a large part of the Universe, more than 70 %, and it is an enigma, perhaps the greatest in physics today. No wonder, then, that cosmology was shaken at its foundations when two different research groups presented similar results in 1998.
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Related: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2009 – 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics – 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine – Is Dark Matter an Illusion? – 5% of the Universe is Normal Matter, What About the Other 95%?
Saul Perlmutter, U.S. citizen. Born 1959 in Champaign-Urbana, IL, USA. Ph.D. 1986 from University of California, Berkeley, USA. Head of the Supernova Cosmology Project, Professor of Astrophysics, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Brian P. Schmidt, U.S. and Australian citizen. Born 1967 in Missoula, MT, USA. Ph.D. 1993 from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. Head of the High-z Supernova Search Team, Distinguished Professor, Australian National University, Weston Creek, Australia.
Adam G. Riess, U.S. citizen. Born 1969 in Washington, DC, USA. Ph.D. 1996 from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. Professor of Astronomy and Physics, Johns Hopkins University and Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Categories: Awards, Research, Science
Tags: Awards, nobel laureate, physics, Research, Science, scientific inquiry, university research
4 Responses to “2011 Nobel Prize in Physics”
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October 11th, 2011 @ 2:51 am
One of the interesting topic in the realm of Physics which got praised with this Nobel Prize. I wished to be in Quantum research but requirements pushed me to Computer Science.
October 13th, 2011 @ 1:58 am
It is surprised to hear that the three U.S. physicists had won the Nobel Prize in physics for discovering through the study of supernovae that the universe is accelerating expansion.
The Hubble’s redshift and the Doppler Effect are the facts. It doesn’t mean the universe is expansion or universe is accelerating expansion.
The expansion of the universe is based on the true of the Big Bang theory. If the Big Bang theory is not true. Even though the Hubble’s redshift, and the Doppler Effect is the facts. The expansion or accelerating expansion of the universe is not supported.
The Big Bang theory and “dark energy” are not just a crazy idea, it is nonsense. Is anyone believe the “dark energy” able to create the real energy to push the supernovae accelerating expansion? If you do believe it. You may believe “dark human” can turn spirit to a real person.
In Scientific community , the Big Bang and ”dark energy” issue had been argue for so many year, And now act rashly to award the Nobel Prize in physics for the universe is accelerating expansion .I believe that someday will be proved the 2011 of the Nobel Prize for physics turn out to be a joke.
The expansion of Universe should not true. If it is true, the Big Bang theory and “dark energy” will be true.
Now raise a big question. If he Big Bang theory and “dark energy” are not true. Also the Hubble redshift, and the Doppler Effect is the facts, How could be proved the universe is not expansion or not accelerating expansion?
The space of the universe has only three kind of possibility. One is Euclidean space, one is elliptical space and the other is hyperbolic space. These three kinds of space can only be hypnosis to be one of the three only, And, it cannot be identify by proved.
1. If the universe is a Euclidean space, due to the Hubble redshift, and the facts of the Doppler Effect, There must be the expansion of the universe and the Big Bang also true. This is contradiction to the Big Bang is not true. So, the space of the universe may not be a Euclidean space
2. The space of the universe will never be an Elliptical space. If the space of the Universe is an Elliptical space. When we see anything from the east, can be seen from the west too. Obviously, it is not so
3. Remaining space is The Hyperbolic space.
Let analyze, if supernovae happen in Hyperbolic space.
Hubble’s laws are derived from Euclidean rules and Euclidean formulas. However, assume the Universe is in Hyperbolic space. Very logically, we must derive its rules and formulas from Hyperbolic rules and non-Euclidean formulas.
The rules and formulas of Hyperbolic space are quite different from Euclidean space. Hence, the results derived from utilizing these two systems must be different. These differences may be the keys to unveil the mystery of the Universe.
“Now we try to prove, the universe is not expansion or not accelerating expansion. Even though Hubble’s redshift and the Doppler effect are the facts”
A. LIGHT SPHERICAL WAVE FRONTS
When photon travel a distance of r. The equation of a light spherical front in Euclidean space is
x2 + y2 + z2 = r2 ————– (1)
From Hyperbolic geometry, the equation of the light spherical front is
tanh2 x/k + tanh2 y/k + tanh2 z/k = tanh2 r/k —— (2)
Where k is the constant of the space curvature. （cosmological constant）
(From page 298 of non-Euclidean Geometry by Allen Liou, 1964.)
Comparing equations (1) and (2), we can see very obviously that the area of the light spherical fronts is very much different. Even though they have the same radius. Therefore, the Doppler Effect should not be the same between Euclidean space and Hyperbolic space.
The area of the Light Spherical Front in Euclidean space is 4Ï€r2.
What is the area of the Light Spherical Front in Hyperbolic space?
Let us determine the circumference of a circle in Hyperbolic space first:
Let PQ be the chord of a circle of radius r, which subtends an angleθ, M be the midpoint of the chord, and O be the center of the circle.
See
fig 1.
From the formula of the right-angle in Hyperbolic trigonometry, we have (page 143 of non-Euclidean Geometry by Allen Liou, 1964.)
sinh PQ/2k = sinh r/k sin∠POQ/2
If angle Î¸ïƒ 0
We have ds/2k = sinh r/k dθ/2
or ds = k sinh r/k dθ
Integrating both sides, we have
Circumference = 2Ï€k sinh r/k
Then, let ds are the length of the arc of the spherical circle, and r be the radius.
By same formula, we have, see
fig 2.
ds = k sinh r/k dθ
The area of the circle strip is
d (area of circle strip) = 2Ï€k sinh AM/k ds
But
sinh AM/k = sinh r/k sinθ
Therefore
d(area of circle strip)=2πk[sinh r/k sinθ][k sinh r/k dθ]
= 2πk 2 sinh2 r/k dθ
Integrating both sides, we have
area of sphere = 4Ï€k 2 sinh2 r/k
B. DOPPLER EFFECT OR “LIOU’S STRETCH EFFECT”
When a photon travels a distance r, the area of the Light Spherical Front in Euclidean space is 4Ï€r2.
area of sphere = 4Ï€r 2
But the area of the Light Spherical Front in Hperbolic space is
area of sphere = 4Ï€k 2 sinh2 r/k
Compare the two Spherical Areas in the two different spaces with the same r. We easily to see that, if we are in Hyperbolic universe, Light Spherical Front stretch from 4Ï€r 2 to 4Ï€k 2 sinh2 r/k. We temporary called this stretch by “Liou’s stretch effect”.
The Spherical Front of photon may only travel a distance r in Hyperbolic space. But in Euclidean space, it appears to travel a distance of k sinh r/k.
From the difference of r and k sinh r/k in Euclidean space, it looks like the object moves from point r to point k sinh r/k, but the object actually stays still in Hyperbolic universe.
When we use Redshift of Doppler Effect in Euclidean space to calculate velocity of galaxy from point r to point k sinh r/k. Actually, there is no movement from point r to point k sinh r/k. It only cause by the stretch of curvature of Hyperbolic space (“Liou’s stretch effect”).
I will use the velocity to calculate the space constant (cosmological constant). Use redshift of frequency the result is the same.
D. CALCULATION OF SPACE CURVATURE (OR COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT) IN HYPERBOLIC UNIVERSE
Let s = k sinh r/k – r
Where s is the distant of galaxy moving from position r to the position k sinh r/k.
Taking the derivative of both sides, we have
ds/dt = cosh r/k dr/dt – dr/dt
where ds/dt =v (the velocity of galaxies at the remote distance of r), and dr/dt is the speed of light c.
Therefore
v = cosh r/k c – c
v = c[cosh r/k – 1] = 2c sinh2 r/2k ———- (3)
There are several versions of the Hubble’s constant. We will select the one most popular one. In which, the velocity of galaxies at a distance of six billion light-years move away at a velocity of roughly 90,000 kilometers/sec.
Hence v=90,000 kilometers/sec and r=6 bly.
Hence we have
v = 90,000 kilometers/sec and r = 6 bly.
Therefore
90,000 = 2c sinh2（6bly/2k ）
∴ 0.3c = 2c sinh2（3bly/k ）
∴ k = 3bly/ sinh-1√0.12
∴ k = 7.931965828 bly
Where bly is billion light-years.
C. DISCUSIONS
1. Hubble’s constant was not constant.
From equation (3), v = 2c sinh2 r/2k , the velocity of galaxies and the remote distance of r were not exactly linear proportions in Euclidean universe. The velocity is more likely in slightly acceleration observed in Euclidean universe.
Here, the cosmological constant, k = 7.931965828 bly was based on the Hubble’s Law at 6 bly. If we based on a difference distance, like one on a distance of 1 or 2 bly, the k value should be slightly different. If we use different versions of Hubble’s Law, the cosmological constant k will be even more different. We really need an accurate data to determine the constant k
Assuming k = 7.931965828 bly is correct; the Hubble’s diagram in Euclidean space should look like the following diagram.
From this chart, we should call Hubble’s accelerator instead of Hubble’s constant.
2. Is Universe’s redshift cause by DOPPLER EFFECT or “LIOU’S STRETCH EFFECT”?
From Hubble’s Law, the speed by which a galaxy moves away is proportional to the distance to the galaxy. A galaxy with distance of 6 bly has a velocity of 90,000 km/s. For a galaxy 30 bly away, its speed will be 450,000 km/s. This is beyond the speed of light a lot. It is contradict to the fact of the speed of light is constant.
In recent year, astronomer’s observed that Hubble’s constant is not constant. The galaxies actually moving away accelerated, like supernovae.
From this two facts, the Universe’s redshift is more likely to be caused by the “LIOU’S STRETCH EFFECT”.
. And Doppler Effect caused by the STRETCH of the Hyperbolic space (“LIOU’S STRETCH EFFECT”) not by the speed of velocity in Euclidean space.
So, the universe is not expansion nor accelerating expansion. Even though Hubble’s redshift and the Doppler effect are the facts.
In other words, the universe is still in Hyperbolic space. We can forget about Big Bang Theory, dark matter, dark energy, block hole, white hole etc.
By the way, if anyone can prove the sum of the angles of three galaxies are less than two right angles. I will award 100000 USD.
October 13th, 2011 @ 2:06 am
I may be a little off seeing as this is physics on a very large scale…but if this is based on the universe having an origin..even a little bit, the singularity at the beginning of time and space, then it is based upon our current model of reasoning, which is highly flawed in terms of the universe. Maybe I got it wrong…but I think its out of our grasp. I dont have a nobel prize, but thats just an award given by man to man according to observational science made by man. What scope can be relevant to such astronomical things as the Universe as a whole?
August 1st, 2012 @ 8:25 am
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