Abstract
We describe a new experiment to measure the gravitomagnetic field of the Earth. This field, a consequence of the general relativistic formulation of Mach's principle (WEM—Wheeler-Einstein-Mach principle), has never been detected. The idea is to measure the Lense-Thirring precession of the nodal lines of two laser-ranged satellites with supplementary inclinations. In this way it is possible to separate the relativistic nodal precession from the classical nodal precession due to the multipole moments of the Earth.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
C. W. Misner, K. S. Thorne, and J. A. Wheeler,Gravitation (Freeman, San Francisco, 1973). p. 1066.
J. Isenberg and J. A. Wheeler, “Relativity, Quanta, and Cosmology in the Development of the Scientific Thought of Albert Einstein,” M. Pantaleo and F. deFinis, eds. (Johnson Reprint Corp., New York, 1979), Vol. I, p. 267.
R. P. Kerr,Phys. Rev. Lett. 11, 237 (1963).
J. Lense and H. Thirring,Phys. Z. 19, 156 (1918).
J. Lense and H. Thirring, English translation by B. Mashhoon,et al., Gen. Relativ. Gravit. 16, 711 (1984).
W. DeSitter,Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 76, 699 (1916).
L. I. Schiff,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 46, 871 (1960).
V. B. Braginsky, C. M. Caves, and K. S. Thorne,Phys. Rev. D 15, 2047 (1977).
V. B. Braginsky and A. G. Polnarev,Sov. Phys. JETP Lett. 31, 415 (1980).
M. O. Scully inLaser Spectroscopy IV, H. Walther and K. W. Rothe, eds. (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1979), p. 27.
V. B. Braginsky, A. G. Polnarev, and K. S. Thorne, Caltech Goldenrod preprint in theoretical Astrophysics, Gravitational Physics, or Quantum Optics (Caltech, 1983).
C. W. F. Everitt, inExperimental Gravitation, B. Bertotti, ed. (Academic Press, New York, 1974), p. 331.
J. A. Lipa, W. M. Fairbank, and C. W. F. Everitt, in:Experimental Gravitation, B. Bertotti, ed. (Academic Press, New York, 1974), p. 361.
R. A. Van Patten and C. W. F. Everitt,Phys. Rev. Lett. 36, 629 (1976).
R. A. Van Patten and C. W. F. Everitt,Celest. Mech. 13, 429 (1976).
I. Ciufolini, Ph. D. thesis, University of Texas at Austin, August 1984.
I. Ciufolini, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc., Cleveland, Ohio, October 1984,6, 1169 (1985).
I. Ciufolini, to be published inPhys. Rev. D.
I. Ciufolini and M. Demianski, to be published inPhys. Rev. D.
D. E. Smith and P. J. Dunn,J. Geophys. Res. Lett. 7, 437 (1980).
C. F. Yoder, J. G. Williams, J. O. Dickey, B. E. Schutz, R. J. Eanes, and B. D. Tapley,Nature 303, 757 (1983).
R. J. Eanes, B. E. Schutz, and B. D. Tapley, paper in preparation.
N. Ashby and B. Bertotti,Phys. Rev. Lett. 52, 485 (1984).
I. Ciufolini,Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 278 (1986).
W. E. Carter, D. S. Robertson, J. E. Pettey, B. D. Tapley, B. E. Schutz, R. J. Eanes, and M. Lufeng,Science 224, 957 (1984).
B. D. Tapley, B. E. Schutz, and R. J. Eanes, private communication (1985).
W. M. Kaula,Theory of Satellite Geodesy (Blaisdell, Waltham, 1966).
F. J. Lerch, S. M. Klosko, R. E. Laubscher, and C. A. Wagner,J. Geophys. Res. 84, 3897 (1979).
I. Ciufolini,Bull. Am. Phys. Soc., Crystal City, Virginia, April 1985.
I. Ciufolini, submitted toCelest. Mech.
NASA/PSN LAGEOS II study group, final report, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, July 1983.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ciufolini, I. Test of the gravitomagnetic field via laser-ranged satellites. Found Phys 16, 259–265 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01889476
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01889476