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Psychosmurf
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Is there a way to map time-like curves in Minkowski space to curves in a Euclidean space such that the length of the curve in the Euclidean space is equal to the proper time of the curve in Minkowski space?
Matterwave said:You can multiply a proper time ##\tau## by ##c## to convert it into a length ##c\tau##. What this length means is the length that light travels during that proper time.
I don't know what specifically you're looking for. What kind of a map are you thinking about?
I guess you mean: Embed the pseudo-Euclidean space into a Euclidean space isometrically so the Euclidean path length in the embedding space matches proper-time. This is not possible, if I remember a previous discussion here on PF correctly (search for it).Psychosmurf said:Is there a way to map time-like curves in Minkowski space to curves in a Euclidean space such that the length of the curve in the Euclidean space is equal to the proper time of the curve in Minkowski space?
Psychosmurf said:What I've been trying to do is to take the tangent vectors of a curve and transform each of them so that they point in the same direction but so that their magnitude is equal to their proper time. My thinking is that this would leave the shape of the curve mostly unchanged but its length would then reflect the proper time along that curve. However, I keep running into problems with the integrals involved since they involve complex numbers.
PeterDonis said:I'm not sure this even makes sense. Why do you want to change the shape of the curve? That changes its length, which destroys the whole point of what it seems like you are trying to do..
Also, why do you want to do this at all? The Minkowski metric already gives you the proper time along a timelike curve directly.
Psychosmurf said:The tangent vector of a time-like curve in Minkowski space is [tex](1,{v^1})[/tex]
Psychosmurf said:we construct a new tangent vector w
Psychosmurf said:It seems to work for the curves I've tried it on, for the most part...
Psychosmurf said:I want to make a spacetime diagram in which curves with longer proper time actually appear to be longer on the diagram.
"Map Taking Proper Time to Euclidean Length" is a scientific concept that relates to the measurement of time and distance in space. It involves converting the time measured by an observer in a moving frame of reference to the distance measured by an observer in a stationary frame of reference, in accordance with the principles of special relativity.
"Map Taking Proper Time to Euclidean Length" is important because it helps us understand the effects of motion and gravity on the measurement of time and distance. It is a fundamental concept in the theory of relativity and has practical applications in fields such as space travel and GPS technology.
The calculation of "Map Taking Proper Time to Euclidean Length" involves using mathematical formulas and principles from special relativity, such as the Lorentz transformation. It takes into account the relative velocity and distance between the two observers, as well as the speed of light.
Yes, "Map Taking Proper Time to Euclidean Length" can be applied to everyday situations. For example, it is used in the correction of time differences in GPS devices due to the relative motion of the satellites and the receivers on Earth. It also helps explain the phenomenon of time dilation, where time appears to pass slower for objects in motion compared to stationary objects.
Yes, there are some limitations to "Map Taking Proper Time to Euclidean Length". It is based on the assumptions and principles of special relativity, which may not apply in extreme situations such as near black holes or at speeds close to the speed of light. Additionally, it only applies to measurements in flat, Euclidean space and may not be accurate in curved spacetime.