An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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1) Physics: A hypothetical medium filling all space formerly postulated to account for the propagation of → electromagnetic radiation through space. In order to facilitate description and to provide a physical explanation of various phenomena involving action at a distance and electromagnetism, a medium had been postulated with mechanical properties adjusted to provide a consistent theory. In 1887 Michelson and Morley attempted to measure the motion of the Earth through the ether. No such motion was detected. The → Michelson-Morley experiment has been repeated under different conditions, but the hypothesis of a stationary ether through which the Earth moves is not verified.
2) The substance supposed by Aristotle to constitute stars and fill the outer space.
3) Chemistry: A family of organic compounds with the general formula R-O-R', where R and R' are hydrocarbon radicals. In particular diethyl ether, C₂H₅OC₂H₅, which is a volatile colorless liquid with a pleasant smell.

From L. æther "the upper air, pure air," from Gk. aither "upper air," from aithein "to burn, shine."

A hypothesis put forward to explain the null measurement of the → ether drift. According to this hypothesis, the Earth somehow drags the ether with it as our planet rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun. However, the ether drag hypothesis contradicts results from several experiments, including the → aberration of starlight.

→ ether; → drag.

1) The hypothetical motion of the supposed → ether relative to the Earth. The → Michelson-Morley experiment found no ether drift. An analogy is given by a boat drifting in a fast-flowing river due to the river's current. With the same power, the speed would be slower when sailing across the stream. Moreover, in order to reach directly opposite the starting point, the boat would have to be headed somewhat upstream. See also the → ether drag.
2) The motion of the Earth relative to the → rest frame defined by the → cosmic microwave background radiation.

→ ether; → drift.

A → symmetry in a physical system leads to a → conserved quantity. For example, symmetry under → translation corresponds to conservation of → momentum, symmetry under → rotation to conservation of → angular momentum, and symmetry in → time to conservation of → energy. The Noether symmetry theorem is a fundamental tool of modern theoretical physics and the calculus of variations, allowing to derive conserved quantities from the existence of variational symmetries.

Named in honor of the German-American woman mathematician Amalie Emmy Noether (1182-1935), who published the theorem in 1918 ("Invariante Variationsprobleme," Nachr. D. König. Gesellsch. D. Wiss. Zu Göttingen, Math-phys. Klasse 1918: 235-257).