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Principles of Equivalence: Their Role in Gravitation Physics and Experiments That Test Them

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Gyros, Clocks, Interferometers...: Testing Relativistic Graviy in Space

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 562))

Abstract

Modern formulations of equivalence principles provide the foundation for an efficient approach to understanding and organizing the structural features of gravitation field theories. Since theories’ predictions reflect differences in their structures, principles of equivalence also support an efficient experimental strategy for testing gravitation theories and for exploring the range of conceivable gravitation physics. These principles focus attention squarely on empirical consequences of the fundamental structural differences that distinguish one gravitation theory from another. Interestingly, the variety of such consequences makes it possible to design and perform experiments that test equivalence principles stringently but do so in markedly different ways than the most familiar experimental tests.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Purdue University, 47907, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Mark P. Haugan

  2. Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, Fach M674, 78457, Konstanz, Germany

    C. Lämmerzahl

Authors
  1. Mark P. Haugan
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  2. C. Lämmerzahl
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Experimental Physics, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, German

    Claus Lämmerzahl

  2. W.W.Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, 94305, Stanford, CA, USA

    C. W. Francis Everitt

  3. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, 50923, Köln, Germany

    Friedrich W. Hehl

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Haugan, M.P., Lämmerzahl, C. (2001). Principles of Equivalence: Their Role in Gravitation Physics and Experiments That Test Them. In: Lämmerzahl, C., Everitt, C.W.F., Hehl, F.W. (eds) Gyros, Clocks, Interferometers...: Testing Relativistic Graviy in Space. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 562. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-40988-2_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-40988-2_10

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