curving photon world-line

[blueman]

So, maybe a dumb question, but have we measured if a radio-wave photon and say, a visible-light photon would curve ever-so-slightly differently as they came around the gravitational field of the sun?<br /><br />Not asking for theories, I get the curvature arguments, but if measurements have been done....

 

[harmonicaman]

That's a great question and I don't know the definitive answer; but from an intuitive point of view, I believe their curvatures would be identical for the following two reasons:<br /><br />1. The radio wave and visible light photon are merely different frequencies and energy levels of the same phenomenon. Here's a chart showing where they lie on the electromagnetic spectrum.<br /><br />2. Both of these waves travel in a straight line; it is the curvature of space itself which you are observing in a gravitational field! I don't see why one wave would be effected differently than the other.<br /><br /><br />...sorry for restating the theory. <img src="/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />

 

[vogon13]

Degree of refraction of the beams through the solar corona would be frequency dependent, but that's not what you asked about . . . . <br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>