Beschreibung
First edition, journal issue in the original printed wrappers, of Einstein's attempt to refute Willem De Sitter's static, empty universe. In the fall of 1916 de Sitter discussed the theory with Einstein, and the discussions led Einstein to attempt to apply his theory to the universe at large. The result was Einstein s closed or spherical model of 1917, incorporating the cosmological constant. Einstein originally believed that his static, matter-filled model was the only solution to the cosmological field equations. However, in his third report to the Royal Astronomical Society of 1917, de Sitter showed that there exists another solution, corresponding to an empty universe with [non-zero cosmological constant] and spatially closed in spite of its lack of matter . . . Compared with Einstein s model, de Sitter s was complex and difficult to conceptualize, in particular because it was unclear how to distinguish the properties of the model itself from those properties that merely reflected a particular coordinate representation of it. Although the de Sitter model would eventually be seen as representing an expanding universe, to de Sitter and his contemporaries it represented a static space-time (DSB). A space-time satisfying the modified field equations [i.e., including the cosmological constant], static and empty could not but disturb Einstein. As he commented in his public reply to de Sitter [the offered paper], in case [de Sitter s solution] were shown to be a legitimate solution of the modified field equations, this would indicate that the [cosmological constant] does not fulful the purpose I intended : Because, in my opinion, the general theory of relativity is a satisfying system only if it shows that the physical qualities of space are completely determined by matter alone. Therefore, no [metric] must exist (that is, no space-time continuum is possible) without matter that generates it. In other words, de Sitter s solution violates Mach s principle, and yet the cosmological constant had been introduced to circumvent, in a static background, this blemish in the original field equations (Capria, p. 138). Einstein tried to refute de Sitter s solution by arguing that the coordinate system de Sitter had used was not regular but had singularities. As shown in private correspondence at the end of 1918, Einstein eventually recognized that de Sitter s solution was perfectly regular; nonetheless, he did not publish a retraction of his previous criticism (ibid.). Willem de Sitter (1872-1934) was a Dutch mathematician, astronomer, and cosmologist who developed theoretical models of the universe based on Albert Einstein s general theory of relativity. De Sitter studied mathematics at the State University of Groningen and then joined the astronomical laboratory there, where under J.C. Kapteyn s guidance he developed a liking for astronomy. He spent the years 1897 99 at the Cape Observatory in South Africa and devoted himself to astronomy thereafter. In 1908 de Sitter became professor of astronomy at the University of Leiden, and in 1919 he became director of the Leiden Observatory. In his early career de Sitter analyzed the motions of Jupiter s four great Galilean satellites in order to determine their masses. His experience in celestial mechanics proved useful in 1916 17, when he published a series of papers in London in which he described the astronomical consequences of Einstein s general theory of relativity. His papers aroused British interest in the theory and led directly to Arthur Eddington s 1919 expedition to observe a solar eclipse in order to measure the gravitational deflection of light rays passing near the Sun (Britannica). Weil 98. Capria, Physics before and after Einstein, 2014. Complete journal issue, large 8vo, pp. 269-277. Original printed wrappers, uncut and partly unopened, a fine copy. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers ABE-1533311931018
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