A Machian definition of particle mass in higher-dimensional gravity

Abstract

A new method involving the effective wave function is used to define the mass of a particle in a standard five-dimensional extension of general relativity. The mass is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the scalar field of the extra dimension. Since the scalar field is global and depends on the coordinates, this definition for the particle mass agrees with Machs Principle.

Paul S. Wesson passed away on September 16, 2015. This paper, his 300th research paper, was submitted for publication before his death, and is posted here for posterity. A detailed obituary will be posted on the STM website in the near future