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The Spatial Curvature of a Rotating Disk Is −3Ω²/c², and Its Argument Differs from the −1/c² of Velocity Space ── the Gaussian curvature of the spatial metric of a rotating frame is −3Ω²/c² at the centre and vanishes when Ω is set to 0; for a disk whose rim moves at half the speed of light the circumference over the diameter is πγ = 3.627599 and the area is 1.071797 times the Euclidean one, growing less than the circumference; the curvature −1/c² of velocity space contains no Ω and has different units ── the separator is whether what bends is rotation or the composition of velocities ── [Paper 1027]

Sep 2026 · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Relativity and Gravitational Theory

Abstract

The circumference of a rotating disk is longer than π times its diameter (Ehrenfest 1909). Einstein used this disk as a clue that geometry under gravity would not be Euclidean. This paper obtains the Gaussian curvature of the spatial metric of a rotating frame by two routes, symbolic computation and numerical differentiation, counts the growth of circumference and area, and sets the result beside the negative curvature −1/c² that this corpus has seen in velocity space. No new theorem or law is claimed, and the Ehrenfest paradox is not said to be solved. Scope of this paper (scope note): No new theorem or law is claimed──that the circumference of a rotating disk exceeds π times its diameter (Ehrenfest 1909), the spatial metric of a rotating frame (Landau and Lifshitz), Einstein’s use of this disk on the way to general relativity (1916), and Born’s condition of rigidity are all known. The Ehrenfest paradox is not solved──whether the disk can be spun up as a rigid body and how simultaneity along the rim is to be fixed are not the subject; the spatial metric of the rotating state is taken as a premise. The field equations are not entered──the rotating frame is a coordinate transformation of flat spacetime, and no gravitational field equation is used; what is curved is the spatial metric, not spacetime. The curvature of velocity space is not derived──−1/c² is cited from Papers 60 and 66. The values are examples──rim speeds β = 0.1, 0.5 and 0.9 are values for comparison; no real rotating body is claimed. Relation to earlier papers: Paper 60 showed that c is the radius of the ball of velocity space──here a negative curvature appearing elsewhere is separated by its argument although the c² in the denominator is the same. Paper 66 showed that the curvature of velocity space is written with the local c and is a different root from the coordinate c of gravitational redshift──here a third c², the denominator of the disk’s curvature, is set beside them and counted to vanish with Ω. Paper 33 showed that the Wigner angle is an area in velocity space──here it is counted that the angle deficit of a small triangle on the disk is the product of curvature and area. Paper 300 showed that whether two things share a root is decidable──here the absence of a tying equation is the reason not to call them one root. What is added is matching the curvature by two routes, matching the growth of circumference and area by numerical integration against closed forms, giving the rim speed at which the radius of curvature equals the disk radius, and separating the disk’s curvature from that of velocity space by argument and units. First, and this is the core. The spatial curvature of a rotating disk is −3Ω²/c², and it vanishes when the rotation stops──the Gaussian curvature of the metric dl² = dr² + r²dφ²/(1 − Ω²r²/c²) is K(r) = −3Ω²c²/(c² − Ω²r²)², equal to −3Ω²/c² at the centre and 0 at Ω = 0. Symbolic computation and numerical differentiation agreed within 3x10^-8 at six points (Section 2). Second, the circumference grows by γ──integrating the circumference over the diameter numerically for a disk whose rim moves at β times the speed of light agrees with πγ within 10 to the −9: 3.157419, 3.627599 and 7.207308 at β = 0.1, 0.5 and 0.9 (1.005038, 1.154701 and 2.294157 times π) (Section 3). Third, the area grows less than the circumference──the area over πR² is 2(1 − √(1 − β²))/β², that is 1.002513, 1.071797 and 1.392864 at β = 0.1, 0.5 and 0.9, each greater than 1 and less than γ (Section 3). Fourth, the radius of curvature is set by the rim speed──the central radius of curvature c/(√3 Ω) is 1.154701 times the disk radius when the rim moves at β = 0.5 and 5.773503 times at β = 0.1, and equals the disk radius when the rim moves at β = 1/√3 = 0.577350. The angles of a small geodesic triangle of area 0.01 sum to 0.007500 less than π (hyperbolic) (Section 4). Fifth, it differs from the −1/c² of velocity space in argument and in units, though the denominator is the same──the curvature of velocity space contains no Ω and has units of 1 over speed squared. The curvature of the disk has units of 1 over length squared and is proportional to Ω². There is no equation tying them, so by the criterion of Paper 300 they cannot be said to share a root (Section 5). Sixth, the separator is whether what bends is rotation or the composition of velocities──what bends the disk is rotation; what bends velocity space is the composition of velocities. Of two negative curvatures, one vanishes when stopped and the other does not (Section 5). The spatial curvature of a rotating disk is −3Ω²/c², and its argument differs from the −1/c² of velocity space. The Gaussian curvature of the spatial metric of a rotating frame is K(r) = −3Ω²c²/(c² − Ω²r²)², matched by symbolic computation and numerical differentiation, and it vanishes at Ω = 0. For a disk whose rim moves at half the speed of light the circumference over the diameter is πγ = 3.627599 and the area is 1.071797 times the Euclidean one, growing less than the circumference; the central radius of curvature equals the disk radius when the rim moves at 1/√3 = 0.577350──the curvature of velocity space contains no Ω, has different units, and no equation ties the two. The separator is whether what bends is rotation or the composition of velocities. Placed among the earlier papers──Paper 60 showed that c is the radius of the ball of velocity space, Paper 66 that its curvature is written with the local c, and Paper 33 that the Wigner angle is an area. Here a third negative curvature, made by rotation, was set beside them and separated by its argument. To be honest──not one step has been taken into how the disk is spun up. On the making of this work: The ideas and content of this work stem from the author's own considerations. Assistance from an AI (a large language model) was used for structuring, English translation, and checking the algebra. Any remaining errors or misinterpretations are solely the author's. Feedback and corrections are sincerely appreciated. Keywords: rotating disk, Gaussian curvature, Ehrenfest paradox, metric of a rotating frame, velocity space, hyperbolic geometry. ------ 回る円板の周は直径の π 倍より長い(エーレンフェスト 1909)。アインシュタインはこの円板を、重力の下で幾何がユークリッドでなくなることの手がかりに使った。本稿は、回転系の空間の計量のガウス曲率を記号計算と数値微分の二つの道で出し、周と面積の伸びを数え、本体系が速度空間に見てきた負の曲率 −1/c² と並べる。新しい定理も法則も主張せず、エーレンフェストのパラドックスを解いたとも言わない。 本稿の射程(射程注記):新しい定理も法則も主張しない──回る円板の周が直径の π 倍より長いこと(エーレンフェスト 1909)、回転系の空間の計量(ランダウとリフシッツ)、アインシュタインが一般相対論への道でこの円板を使ったこと(1916)、ボルンの剛体の条件は、いずれも既知である。エーレンフェストのパラドックスを解かない──円板を剛体として回し始められるか、円周上の同時性をどう決めるかは主題ではない。回っている状態の空間の計量を前提として置く。場の方程式に入らない──回転系は平坦な時空の座標変換であり、重力の場の方程式は使わない。曲がっているのは空間の計量であって時空ではない。速度空間の曲率を導かない──−1/c² は論文60・66 の結果を引くだけである。値は例である──縁の速さ β=0.1・0.5・0.9 は比べるための値で、実在の回転体を主張しない。既刊との関係:論文60 は、c が速度空間の球の半径であることを示した──ここでは、別の場所に現れる負の曲率を、分母の c² が同じでも引数で分ける。論文66 は、速度空間の曲率が局所の c で書け、重力赤方偏移の座標の c とは別根であることを示した──ここでは、三つ目の c²、回る円板の曲率の分母を並べ、Ω で消えることを数える。論文33 は、ウィグナー角が速度空間の面積であることを示した──ここでは、円板の小さな三角形の角の和のずれが曲率と面積の積であることを数える。論文300 は、同根か別根かが判定できることを示した──ここでは、結ぶ等式が無いことをもって同根と言わない。加えたのは、曲率を二つの道で一致させたこと、周と面積の伸びを数値積分で閉じた式と一致させたこと、曲率半径が円板の半径に等しくなる縁の速さを出したこと、速度空間の曲率と引数と単位で分けたことである。 第一に、これが本稿の芯である。回る円板の空間の曲率は −3Ω²/c² で、回転を止めれば消える──計量 dl²=dr²+r²dφ²/(1−Ω²r²/c²) のガウス曲率は K(r)=−3Ω²c²/(c²−Ω²r²)² で、中心で −3Ω²/c²、Ω=0 で 0 である。記号計算と数値微分は 6 点で 3x10^-8 以内で一致した(第2節)。 第二に、周は γ 倍伸びる──縁が光速の β 倍で回る円板の周÷直径を数値積分すると πγ に 10 の −9 乗以内で一致し、β=0.1・0.5・0.9 で 3.157419・3.627599・7.207308(π の 1.005038・1.154701・2.294157 倍)である(第3節)。 第三に、面積は周ほどは伸びない──面積÷πR² は 2(1−√(1−β²))/β² で、β=0.1・0.5・0.9 で 1.002513・1.071797・1.392864 と、いずれも 1 より大きく γ より小さい(第3節)。 第四に、曲率半径は縁の速さで決まる──中心の曲率半径 c/(√3 Ω) は、縁が β=0.5 で回るとき円板の半径の 1.154701 倍、β=0.1 で 5.773503 倍で、縁が β=1/√3=0.577350 で回るとき円板の半径に等しい。面積 0.01 の小さな三角形の角の和は π より 0.007500 だけ小さい(双曲的)(第4節)。 第五に、速度空間の −1/c² とは、分母は同じでも引数と単位が違う──速度空間の曲率は Ω を含まず、単位は 1/速度² である。円板の曲率は 1/長さ² で、Ω² に比例する。結ぶ等式が無いので、論文300 の基準では同根とは言えない(第5節)。 第六に、分離子は、曲げているのが回転か、速度の合成か──円板を曲げているのは回転で、速度空間を曲げているのは速度の合成である。同じ負の曲率でも、止めれば消えるものと消えないものがある(第5節)。 回る円板の空間の曲率は −3Ω²/c² で、速度空間の −1/c² とは引数が違う。回転系の空間の計量のガウス曲率は K(r)=−3Ω²c²/(c²−Ω²r²)² で、記号計算と数値微分が一致し、Ω=0 で消える。縁が光速の 0.5 倍で回る円板の周÷直径は πγ=3.627599、面積は 1.071797 倍で周ほどは伸びず、中心の曲率半径は縁が 1/√3=0.577350 で回るとき円板の半径に等しい──速度空間の曲率は Ω を含まず単位も違い、結ぶ等式が無い。分離子は、曲げているのが回転か、速度の合成かである。既刊との位置──論文60 は c が速度空間の球の半径であることを、論文66 はその曲率が局所の c で書けることを、論文33 はウィグナー角が面積であることを示した。ここでは、回転で作られる三つ目の負の曲率を並べ、引数で分けた。正直に言えば──回し始める話には一歩も入っていない。 作成にあたって:本稿の着想と内容は、著者自身の考察に基づくものです。文章の構成整理や英訳、数式の確認には AI(大規模言語モデル)の助力を得ました。最終的な内容の解釈や誤りがあれば、それらはすべて著者の責に帰します。お気づきの点があれば、ご教示いただければ幸いです。 キーワード:回転する円板、ガウス曲率、エーレンフェストのパラドックス、回転系の計量、速度空間、双曲幾何。

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