Sagnac Effect
The French physicist Georges Sagnac is nowdays frequently cited by the engineers who work on devices such as ring-laser gyroscopes. These systems operate on the principle of the Sagnac effect. It is less known that Sagnac was a strong opponent to the theory of special relativity proposed by Albert Einstein. He set up his experiment to prove the existence of the aether discarded by the Einsteinian relativity. An accurate explanation of the phenomenon was provided by Paul Langevin in 1921.
The Sagnac effect and its interpretation by Paul Langevin
The new type of gyroscope has achieved something considered a benchmark for gyroscopes: the ability to measure the rotation of the earth.
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