C. N. Yang versus P. Y. Zhou on General Relativity -- an issue to be discussed

Professor C. N. Yang,
Department of Physics
Tsinghua University
E-mail: cnyang@cuhk.edu.hk , wlx@tsinghua.edu.cn

Dear Professor Yang:

How are you?

In July 2-5 2007, I participated to the XIII International Meeting Physical Interpretations of Relativity Theory, in Moscow . The main purpose is to present my report, “The Necessity of Unifying Gravitation and Electromagnetism and the Mass-Charge Repulsive Effects in Gravity”. This paper has been well received. In addition, I have presented two other papers: “Einstein versus the Physical Review on Gravitational Waves and the Principle of Causality” and “Einstein’s Equivalence Principle, Justifications, and Misinterpretations”. From the feedbacks of the conference, I find that it is necessary to comment your view on general relativity because yours is in direct conflict with that of the late Professor Zhou Pei-Yuan.

You regarded general relativity as a gauge invariant theory [1]. However, Professor Zhou correctly pointed out that, according to Einstein’s equivalence principle as well as physical considerations, for a given frame of reference only one gauge is valid in physics [2, 3]. My comments are based on your paper of 1974 [1]. Although you are not alone on the view that general relativity is gauge invariant, many cited your paper because of your prominence in current gauge theories.

The purpose of inxxxxing you this matter is to guard against any misunderstanding such as that your view on general relativity may have been changed. Moreover, if you feel that there is a need to present your view in a more accurate manner, or to defend your view, I would recommend that your opinion be published along with my articles. This would give a chance for the readers to appreciate your view better.

My papers are attached herewith for your perusal. (For your convenience, your paper is highlighted in the reference.) Any comments you may have will be greatly appreciated. I have a dead line, October 1 2007, to send my papers to be published in the proceedings of the conference. However, I would return them at least two weeks ahead of the dead line.

Moreover, I would like to thank you again for your 1997 letter that you kindly promised to comment on my work. Unfortunately, I did not receive a subsequent letter. Thank you for your kind attention. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Best regards.

Sincerely yours,

C. Y. Lo

Reference:
1. C. N. Yang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 33, 445 (1974); R. Pavelle, Phys. Rev. Lett. 33, 1461 (Dec. 1974).
2. Zhou Pei-Yuan, “On Coordinates and Coordinate Transxxxxation in Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation” in Proc. of the Third Marcel Grossmann Meetings on Gen. Relativ. ed. Hu Ning, Sci. Press & North Holland. (1983), 1-20.
3. P. Y. Zhou (Chou), “Further Experiments to Test Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation” in Proc. of the International Symposium on Experimental Gravitational Physics, Guang Zhou, China August 1987.