Abstract
RECENTLY, several new efforts to improve the upper bound on the possible rest mass (m0) of the photon have been made1–3. The theoretical basis is provided by Proca's equations1
(□ + μ2)AK = (4π/c)/JK (1)
where charge is assumed conserved and μ = m0c/ħ. The bounds vary from 2 × 10−43 g to 3 × 10−56 g. As Yourgrau and Woodward4 point out, however, a finite mass is implicit in a ‘tired light’ interpretation of the cosmological redshift. When equation (1) is combined with Hubble's law5
dν/dl = −Hν/c (2)
it yields μ = H/2c and hence m0 < 10−63 g. Here ν is the photon frequency, l the distance traversed and H is Hubble's constant. In view of this limit a direct demonstration of the existence of a finite photon rest mass does not seem practical at present.
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WEINSTEIN, D., KEENEY, J. Generalisation of Hubble's Law. Nature 247, 140 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/247140a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/247140a0
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