Variable speed of light in general relativity (3) might contradict Lorentz invariance (4) must modify Maxwell's equations (5) must be done consistently with respect to all other physical theories. Whether these concerns apply to the proposals of Einstein (1911) and Dicke (1957) is a matter of debate, though VSL cosmologies remain out of mainstream physics. Variable speed of light A variable speed of light (VSL) is a feature of a family of hypotheses stating that the speed of light in vacuum, usually denoted by "c", may in some way not be constant, e.g. varying in space or time, or depending on frequency. A variable
Speed of light permeability or magnetic constant, "ε" for the vacuum permittivity or electric constant, and "Z" for the impedance of free space. This article uses exclusively for the speed of light in vacuum. Since 1983, the metre has been defined in the International System of Units (SI) as the distance light travels in vacuum in of a second. This definition fixes the speed of light in vacuum at exactly . As a dimensional physical constant, the numerical value of is different for different unit systems. In branches of physics in which appears often, such as in relativity, it is common to use