Applied Physics and Mathematics Annotation << Back THE POSSIBILITY OF USING AN INTERFEROMETER WITH A MECHANICAL DIVISION OF THE LASER BEAM TO TEST THE SECOND POSTULATE OF SR AND PASSIVE RADAR F.F. MENDE Numerous experiments to test the second postulate of the special theory of relativity, in which the Michelson interferometer or its analogs were used, showed that this postulate is carried out with high accuracy. The experiments were carried out when the source of radiation was both directly in the atmosphere and outside it. In the latter case, stars were used as a source of radiation. The article shows that the Michelson interferometer is unsuitable for such measurements, since it uses semitransparent mirrors to divide the beam. The interferometer with mechanical beam division will solve this problem. It is shown that the use of such an interferometer opens new prospects for the development of passive radar. Keywords: special theory of relativity, interference, laser, Michelson interferometer, Doppler effect, Snel law, passive radar. DOI: 10.25791/pfim.05.2019.923 Contacts: - Pp. 24-31.