Justification of Gerber's Gravitational Potential

by Walter Orlov

Paul Gerber recognized two factors that due to finite propagation speed
of interaction can influence the Newtonian law of gravitation.

1. Neumann's factor: the potential of the mutual attraction of two

masses requires some time to get from one mass to another mass. This
correction factor is determined by

1
.
vr
1−
c

There are usually no trouble to understand this effect.

2. Gerber's factor: duration of impact of gravitational potential. Accor-

ding to Gerber, the gravitational interaction has the constant speed (of
light) only relative to the mass, from which it emanates. This leads to
greater "exposure time" in the removal of the masses of each other and
vice versa.

How much time needs a change of field from the mass to run by the
mass with diameter (figure 1)?

At rest:

When running togetherness:

 Figure 1. Movement of the masses from
the perspective of the mass .

When running away:

Obviously the same holds for field change from the mass . It fol-
lows:

Taken together, two factors make the potential:


V= 2
.

  v
r 1− r
c

This formula allowed Gerber in year 1898 to compute the perihelion

precession of the planets.

Gerber's gravitational potential can be represented through binomial

series:

[  ]
2
  v v
V= = 12 r 3 r ... .
2
r c c
v
 
r 1− r
c

He used general Lagrangian equation of motion:

∂ V d ∂V
g= − ,
∂r dt ∂v r


[ vr v 2r  vr
] [
v 2r r v˙
g =− 2 12 3 2  2 2 6 2 −6 2r ,
r c c r c c c ]
[ ]
2
 v r v˙
g =− 2
1−3 r2 6 2 r .
r c c

Gerber made some calculations and came to

L2
 m2
r= .
1∫ F sin  d N  cos −∫ F cos d M  sin 

Here is
2
vr r v˙
F =3 2
−6 2r
c c

and M , N are the integration constants. Figure 2 shows the names of

variables, which Paul Gerber used. The comparison with the general
form of the orbit equation

p
r=
1cos 
 Figure 2. Elliptical planetary orbit with Gerber's namesof variables.

provides
 d  dt
F =− .
cos  dt d 

Now we need to identify from the left side

2
6r d2r
3 dr
F= 2
c dt 
− 2
c dt 2
.

Gerber makes:

3 a 2 2 6 r a d  6 
F= 2 2
 sin  2  −  cos 
c b c b cos  dt c2 r

It follows:

d 3  a 3 / 2 6  d  6 3/ 2 b
=− 2 2 sin 2  cos − 2  3 2 cos 2 .
dt r c b r c dt r c  a

With
b2 /a a 1− 2
b=a  1− 2 , r = =
1 cos  1 cos 
we reduce the number of independent variables
2
d 3 3 / 2 1 cos 
=− 2  5/ 2
sin 2  cos 
dt c a  1− 
5/ 2 2

6  1 cos  d 
−
c2 a  1−2  dt

6 3/ 2 1 cos 3

 2 5/ 2
cos 2 .
c a  1− 
5/ 2 2

Furthermore

m r2 m r2
dt= d = d  ,
L L

L=m  a  1−2 ,

3/ 2
a 3 /2  1− 2 
dt= d d  .
 1cos 2
With

3
=
a  1 2 
the equation for d  is

− cos 2 cos 2 3 cos 3 

d = d .
c2
23  cos −2 cos 2 −3 cos 3 


The integration leads to the perihelion shift per round:

 27    −8 
2 2
6 
= − .
c 2 a  1 2 6 
2
8 [ c a  1  6 ]
2 2

This formula can be reduced to the first member:

6 
≈ .
c a  1 2 
2

18 years after Gerber's publication appeared the same formula in the

general theory of relativity.

Literature

Paul Gerber, Die räumliche und zeitliche Ausbreitung der Gravitation

(The Space and Time Propagation of Gravitation). Zeitschrift für
Mathematik und Physik. 43, 1898, S. 93–104
http://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Die_r
%C3%A4umliche_und_zeitliche_Ausbreitung_der_Gravitation

Oppenheim, S.: Zur Frage nach der Fortpflanzungsgeschwindigkeit der

Gravitation. In: Annalen der Physik. 53, 1917, S. 163–168.

Full text in Germany: http://www.walter-orlov.wg.am/buch/