Is MOND an effect of cosmic frame-dragging à la Mach?
Abstract
The physical origin of Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND), which predicts galaxy rotation curves via a single empirical acceleration constant a0 without the need for dark matter, remains unknown. I propose a modified-inertia origin for both MOND's interpolating function and a0 within a framework closely related to Gravitoelectromagnetism, the linearized limit of General Relativity. Following Sciama's model unifying gravity and inertia, which implements Mach's principle and the relativity of acceleration through gravitoelectric induction, I consider an idealized homogeneous universe undergoing constant Hubble expansion. I identify a0 ∼ H02Ru ∼ c2/Ru with the relative recession acceleration of cosmic matter near the horizon, which dominates the cosmological contribution. I show that this scale enters local inertial dynamics only when the relative acceleration of the universe becomes anisotropic and the Rindler horizon is comparable to or larger than the cosmic Hubble horizon, at accelerations of order a0 and below. By the simplest Ansatz for the observer's acceleration-dependent causal volume, accounting for the interplay between the cosmic and Rindler horizons, I derive MOND's simple interpolating function as a modified inertia law without the need to insert it by hand or make any further ad hoc adjustments. Physically, the region brought into causal connection ahead of the accelerating observer by the deformation of the cosmic horizon contributes less inertial drag than is lost from the region removed behind him by the Rindler horizon. This proof of concept motivates the possibility that MOND arises from large-scale linear inertial frame-dragging induced by the expanding universe within General Relativity.
Versions
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BibTeX
@misc{palomo2026mond,
title = {{Is MOND an effect of cosmic frame-dragging à la Mach?}},
author = {Manuel Uruena Palomo},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.09987},
eprint = {2610.09987},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.09987},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Is MOND an effect of cosmic frame-dragging à la Mach?
AU - Manuel Uruena Palomo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/25
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.09987
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.09987
AB - The physical origin of Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND), which predicts galaxy rotation curves via a single empirical acceleration constant a_0 without the need for dark matter, remains unknown. I propose a modified-inertia origin for both MOND's interpolating function and a_0 within a framework closely related to Gravitoelectromagnetism, the linearized limit of General Relativity. Following Sciama's model unifying gravity and inertia, which implements Mach's principle and the relativity of acceleration through gravitoelectric induction, I consider an idealized homogeneous universe undergoing constant Hubble expansion. I identify a_0 ∼ H_0^2R_u ∼ c^2/R_u with the relative recession acceleration of cosmic matter near the horizon, which dominates the cosmological contribution. I show that this scale enters local inertial dynamics only when the relative acceleration of the universe becomes anisotropic and the Rindler horizon is comparable to or larger than the cosmic Hubble horizon, at accelerations of order a_0 and below. By the simplest Ansatz for the observer's acceleration-dependent causal volume, accounting for the interplay between the cosmic and Rindler horizons, I derive MOND's simple interpolating function as a modified inertia law without the need to insert it by hand or make any further ad hoc adjustments. Physically, the region brought into causal connection ahead of the accelerating observer by the deformation of the cosmic horizon contributes less inertial drag than is lost from the region removed behind him by the Rindler horizon. This proof of concept motivates the possibility that MOND arises from large-scale linear inertial frame-dragging induced by the expanding universe within General Relativity.
ER -