Aether and Gravitation

by William George Hooper

In the Wave theory it is impossible to conceive of a wave without conceiving of particles which transmit the wave; even Huyghens refers to particles of Aether, and so does Tyndall in his Notes on Light.

In the Electro-magnetic theory of light we have again to think of atoms, which are termed electrons by Dr. Larmor and Sir William Crookes; while Professor J. J. Thompson calls them corpuscles.

So that in all three theories we have the same fundamental idea of atoms, either expressed or imagined, underlying all the three theories. Now what is the property of the Aether on which all reflection and refraction is based? Is it not the property of density? Fresnel assumes that reflection and refraction of light are dependent upon different degrees of density of the Aether associated with any body, and has given a mathematical formula, which decides the index of refraction, such formula being entirely dependent upon the relative density of the Aether in association with the refracting medium.

But with a frictionless medium, it is an absolute impossibility to conceive of different degrees of density of the Aether in association with matter.

If the Aether does possess different degrees of density which decide the refractive index of the substance, then of a certainty there must be some law to govern and decide the density, and that law can only be the Law of Gravitation.

As Young points out in his Fourth Hypothesis, every particle of matter has an attraction for the Aether by which it is accumulated around it with greater density. Now on the basis of our conception of a gravitative Aether, every atom and molecule, and indeed every body in the universe, possess aetherial atmospheres, which possess varying degrees of density, the denser layers being nearest to the nucleus of the atom or molecule as the case may be, the elasticity of each layer or envelope being always proportionate to its density.

When we apply the corpuscular theory to the reflection of light we find that it satisfactorily accounts for the phenomenon.

According to Newton's corpuscular theory, each luminous particle travels in a straight line through a homogeneous medium. When, however, it comes almost into contact with a reflecting surface, which in our case we conceive to be a layer of one of the aetherial elastic envelopes surrounding the atoms or molecules of the reflecting body, then, according to Newton, the light particle is repelled, or reflected by the medium; the angle of reflection or repulsion being always equal to the angle of incidence. So that the emission theory harmonizes with the wave theory in regard to reflection.

When, however, we come to deal with the refraction of light, the corpuscular theory apparently breaks down, and it was in relation to this phase of the phenomena of light that the undulatory theory overthrew the corpuscular theory.

According to the corpuscular theory, when a luminous particle or corpuscle is nearing the surface of a denser medium, as glass or water, it was attracted by the denser medium, with the result that the velocity of the particle in the denser medium was greater than its velocity in air. But direct experiments prove exactly the opposite, as it is found that when light passes from a rare into a denser medium, the velocity of light in the denser or more refracting medium is less than it was in the air. Here then was a test to decide the respective merits of the two theories. As the undulatory theory was able to give a satisfactory explanation of the phenomenon, the corpuscular theory was rejected, and the undulatory theory was accepted. Now the question suggests itself, as to whether it is possible to reconcile the two theories in relation to the refraction of light by our conception of an atomic and gravitative Aether. I believe it is possible. Let us look at the case for a moment. We have, according to our theory of the Aether, to conceive of all atoms and molecules, of all planets and suns and stars, being surrounded by aetherial elastic atmospheres, or envelopes, which, like the atmosphere in association with the earth, are always the densest nearest the nucleus of the atom, getting gradually less and less dense the further they recede from the central point. Further, according to our theory, with regard to the elasticity or pressure of these elastic envelopes, they exert a pressure proportionate to their density. So that the nearer the aetherial atmosphere or envelope is to the central point or nucleus of the atom, the greater will be the elasticity or pressure.