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1kIn 1998, cosmologists made a remarkable discovery. Up until then they assumed that the expansion of the universe was gradually slowing down, due to the gravitational tug that individual galaxies exerted on one another. However, in 1998 observations of supernovas indicated some mysterious force was acting against the pull of gravity, causing galaxies to fly away from each other at ever-greater speeds. Since then others have independently confirmed these observations.
What makes this discovery so remarkable is that there does not seem to be a way of integrating it into the currently accepted theoretical models.
For this reason, some would say the discovery Dark Energy may point to a “new physics”.
However, this would not be the first time a single observation has required science to discard a theory that had successfully explained and predicted all experimental observations up until it was made.
For example, Newton’s concept of absolute time and space was incompatible with the observation that the velocity of light was constant despite the motion of an observer. However many scientists resisted discarding Newton’s concept because they pointed out that his theories could make extremely accurate predictions of all other observations made at that time. However, Einstein realized that observation pointed to a new physics based on the relativist not the absolute properties of space and time.
Today the observation of Dark Energy generates a similar problem for his theories because observations tell us that three-dimensional space is expanding towards a higher spatial dimension not a time or space-time one.
Therefore, in order to explain the observed spatial expansion of the universe one would have to assume the existence of another *spatial* or fourth *spatial* dimension in addition to the three spatial and one time dimension that Einstein’s theories contain to account for that the expansion.
This would be true if Einstein had not qualitatively and quantitatively defined the geometric properties of a space-time universe in terms of the constant velocity of light. This is because it allows one to redefine a unit of time he associated with energy in his space-time universe to unit of space in a one consisting of only four *spatial* dimensions.
In other words by defining the geometric properties of a space-time universe in terms of constant velocity of light he provided a qualitative and quantitative means of redefining his space-time universe in terms of the geometry of four *spatial* dimensions.
Do so would not only allow one to define a physical mechanism responsible for Dark Energy but also give one the ability to ingrate the spatial expansion associated with it directly into his theoretical models.
For example, as was shown in the article “Defining energy†Nov 27, 2007 all forms of energy can be derived in terms of a spatial displacement in a “surface” of a three-dimensional space manifold with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension.
This also allow one to understand how and why the force called Dark Energy is causing an accelerated spatial expansion of our universe in terms of the laws of thermodynamics because it gives one the ability, as mentioned earlier to use his equations to qualitatively and quantitatively define energy in terms of a spatial displacement in a “surface” of a three-dimensional space manifold with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimensions.
We know from the study of thermodynamics that energy flows from areas of high density to one of low density very similar to how water flows form an elevated or “high density” point to a lower one.
For example, if the walls of an above ground pool filled with water collapse the elevated two-dimensional surface of the water will flow or expand and accelerate outward towards the three-dimensional environment surrounding it while the force associated with that expansion decreases as it expands.
Yet we know from observations of the cosmic background radiation that presently our three-dimensional universe has an average energy component equal to about 3.7 degrees Kelvin.
However this means according to concepts developed in the article “Defining energy” that the three-dimensional “surface” occupied by the particles in our universe which has an average energy component of 3.7 degree Kelvin would be elevated with respect to a fourth *spatial* dimension.
Yet this means similar to the water molecules occupying the elevated two dimensional surface of the water in the pool, the particles occupying a region of three-dimensional space that is elevated because of its 3.7 degree temperature will flow and accelerate outward in the four dimensional environment surrounding it.
In other words the reason space is expanding towards a higher spatial dimension is the same as what would cause the two dimensional surface of water in a pool will expand to the “higher” three-dimensional environment if its walls collapse
This shows how can be seamlessly integrate the force called Dark Energy into Einstein’s Theories of if one applies the laws of thermodynamics to an environment that consists of four spatial dimensions.
It should be remember Einstein’s genius allows us to choose to define the universe in either a space-time environment or one consisting of four *spatial* dimension when he defined the geometry of space-time in terms of the constant velocity of light. This interchangeability broadens the environment encompassed by his theories thereby giving us a new perspective on the interactions between energy and space.
Later Jeff
Copyright 2007 Jeffrey O’Callaghan
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Joker, you’re hitting the nail on the head for me, thanks! I really like what you’re saying.