On the general relativistic framework of the Sagnac effect

Abstract

The Sagnac effect is usually considered as being a relativistic effect produced in an interferometer when the device is rotating. General relativistic explanations are known and already widely explained in many papers. Such general relativistic approaches are founded on Einstein's equivalence principle (EEP), which states the equivalence between the gravitational "force" and the pseudo-force experienced by an observer in a non-inertial frame of reference, included a rotating observer. Typically, the authors consider the so-called Langevin-Landau-Lifschitz metric and the path of light is determined by null geodesics. This approach partially hides the physical meaning of the effect. It seems indeed that the light speed varies by c\pmωr in one or the other direction around the disk. In this paper, a slightly different general relativistic approach will be used. The different "gravitational field" acting on the beam splitter and on the two rays of light is analyzed. This different approach permits a better understanding of the physical meaning of the Sagnac effect.

arXiv comment9 pages, to appear in the European Physical Journal C

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• Probing the Solar System for Dark Matter Using the Sagnac Effect
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• On Some Applications of the Sagnac Effect
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• Redshift drift in uniformly accelerated reference frame