Conjecture on Time Dilation, Gravity and Inertia

This conjecture postulates the existence of a field of particles in space that I’ll call the temporal-inertial (TI) field, but will refer to simply as space or the field. This field provides a frame of reference for motion such that the motion of an object (sub-atomic particle, atom, clock, etc.) with respect to that field causes two effects. The velocity of an object with respect to the field causes time dilation for that object and the acceleration of an object with respect to the field causes the familiar inertial reaction force. It is argued that the successful functioning of the Global Positioning System requires that the Earth not move with respect to this TI field. This assertion demands that the TI field move with Earth and that the field must therefore be subject to gravity and orbit the Sun just as the Earth and planets. The response of the TI field to gravity requires particles of the field in the vicinity of Earth to accelerate toward the center of the Earth. As a result, gravitational time dilation and gravitational redshift in a reference frame within the field are caused by the velocity of the particles of this field relative to the reference frame, not directly by gravity itself. Lastly, it is argued that the gravitational force is mediated indirectly by the acceleration of the TI field relative to matter particles in the field. In response to the acceleration of the TI field by gravity, the field asserts a force on matter particles in the direction of the acceleration of the field relative to the matter particles, just as for the inertial force. Accordingly, matter particles are not directly subject to the gravitational force.