Context:
Eminent Indian astrophysicist and founder of Hoyle–Narlikar Theory of Gravity passed away in Pune at the age of 87.
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- He was a science communicator and a Padma Vibhushan awardee.
- He was best known for propounding the Hoyle–Narlikar theory of gravity (also known as conformal gravity), which he developed with English astronomer and professor Fred Hoyle in 1964.
- The theory sought to improve on Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, published in 1915.
- He was the Founder-Director of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune.
| Award for Jayant Narlikar | Year |
| Padma Bhushan | 1965 |
| UNESCO Kalinga Prize for Popularisation of Science | 1996 |
| Padma Vibhushan | 2004 |
| Prix Jules Janssen (French Astronomical Society) | 2004 |
Hoyle–Narlikar Theory of Gravity
- The theory suggests that the mass of an object is influenced by interactions with all other matter in the universe.
- It is an alternative to Einstein’s General Relativity that proposes the universe is in a steady state and continuously expanding.
- This theory also incorporates the concept of a “creation field” that continuously generates new matter in the universe, particularly hydrogen atoms, to maintain a constant density as the universe expands.
- The Hoyle–Narlikar theory of gravity is rooted in Mach’s Principle, which posits that:
- The mass of every object is influenced by its interaction with every other object in the universe.
- Albert Einstein was inspired by Mach’s Principle but could not fully incorporate it into his theory of general relativity.
- Hoyle and Narlikar went further by:
- Literally integrating Mach’s Principle into their theory.
- Proposing that inertia (resistance to change in motion) arises from the collective gravitational interaction with all matter in the universe.
Concept of the C-Field
- Hoyle–Narlikar theory introduces the concept of a “Creation Field” (C-field):
- A hypothetical negative-energy field.
- Responsible for the continuous creation of matter.
- This was proposed to support the Steady-State Theory of the universe:
- The universe has no beginning and will exist forever.
- In contrast to Big Bang cosmology, which states:
- The universe began ~13 billion years ago and has been expanding since.
- When the C-field becomes strong enough at a point in space:
- A new hydrogen atom appears, supporting the idea of a constantly regenerating universe.