Abstract
Gravity remains the missing link in unification theory. The question of whether the gravitational constant G is truly constant or whether it might be time-varying is of particular importance to modern theories of gravitation and, hence, to efforts to achieve a satisfactory unification theory. Few things could do more to invigorate physics than the uncontestable discovery that one of the “constants” of nature is in fact time-varying. A SEE (Satellite Energy Exchange) mission is expected to be capable of detecting apparent seasonal variation and secular change in G at cosmologically significant levels. The experimental strategy is basically to observe the orbital period of the Shepherd mass, and it also entails combining the data from GRACE and SEE missions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
K.A. Bronnikov, V.D. Ivashchuk and V.N. Melnikov; Nuovo Cim. B 102, 209 (1988).
T. Chiba, “Quintessence, the gravitational constant, and gravity,” Phys. Rev. D 60, 083508 (1999).
T. Chiba, “Constancy of the Constants of Nature,” October 2001, gr-qc/0110118.
M. Drinkwater et al. MNRAS, 1999, November 1999, astro-ph/9711290.
G.T. Gillies, “The Newtonian gravitational constant: Recent measurements and related studies”; Reports on Progress in Physics 60, 151–225 (1997).
V.D. Ivashchuk and V.N. Melnikov. In: Lecture Notes in Physics, v. 537. Mathematical and Quantum Aspects of Relativity and Cosmology. Springer, 2000, p. 214.
V.D. Ivashchuk and V.N. Melnikov, “Multidimensional p-brane Cosmological Models and Billiard Behaviour, ” In Proc. 2nd ICRA Network Workshop “The Chaotic Universe”, World Scientific, Singapore (2000).
W.J. Marcino, “Time variation of the fundamental ‘constants’ and Kaluza-Klein theories,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 52, 489–491 (1984).
V.N. Melnikov, “Fundamental physical constants and their stability,” Int. J. Theor. Phys. 33 (No. 7), 1569–1579 (1994).
A.J. Sanders, A.D. Alexeev, S.W. Allison, K.A. Bronnikov, J.W. Campbell, M.R. Cates, T.A. Corcovilos, D.D. Earl, T. Gadfort, G.T. Gillies, M.J. Harris, N.I. Kolosnitsyn, M.Yu. Konstantinov, V.N. Melnikov, R.J. Newby, R.G. Schunk, and L.L. Smalley, “Project SEE (Satellite Energy Exchange): Proposal for Space-based Gravitational Measurements,” at the conference The Gravitational Constant: Theory and Experiment 200 Years after Cavendish, November 23-24, 1998, London; published in Meas. Sci. Technol., 10 (No. 6), 514–524 (1999).
A.J. Sanders, A.D. Alexeev, S.W. Allison, V. Antonov, K.A. Bronnikov, J.W. Campbell, M.R. Cates, T.A. Corcovilos, D.D. Earl, T. Gadfort, G.T. Gillies, M.J. Harris, N.I. Kolosnitsyn, V.N. Melnikov, R.J. Newby, R.G. Schunk, and L.L. Smalley, “Project SEE (Satellite Energy Exchange): an international effort to develop a space-based mission for precise measurements of gravitation”. Class. Quant. Grav. 17, 2331–2346 (2000).
Alvin J. Sanders and W. Edward Deeds, “Proposed New Determination of the Gravitational Constant G and Tests of Newtonian Gravitation,” Phys. Rev. D. 46 (No. 2), 489–505 (1992).
Alvin J. Sanders and W. Edward Deeds, “Reply to ‘Terturbative Forces in the Proposed Satellite Energy Exchange Experiment’,” Phys. Rev. D. 47 (No. 8), 3660–3661 (1993).
Alvin J. Sanders, W. Edward Deeds and George T. Gillies, “Proposed New Space-Based Method for More Accurate Gravitational Measurements,” in The Earth and the Universe: Festschrift fü r Prof. Hans-Jü rgen Treder [retiring as editor of Annalen der Physik], edited by Wolfgang Schröder (Bremen, 1993).
Alvin J. Sanders and George T. Gillies, “A Comparative Study of Proposals for Space-Based Determination of the Gravitational Constant G,” Rivista del Nuovo Cimento, 19 (No. 2), 1–54 (1996).
Alvin J. Sanders and George T. Gillies, “Comparison of Proposals for Space-Based Determination of G,” Gravitation and Cosmology 2 (No. 1) 57–60 (1996) (in English and Russian).
A.J. Sanders and G. T. Gillies, “A comparative survey of proposals for space-based determination of the gravitational constant G”; Proc. SPIE 3116, 88–96, Small Spacecraft, Space Environments, and Instrumentation Technologies, Oct. 1997.
A.J. Sanders and G.T. Gillies, “Project SEE (Satellite Energy Exchange): Proposed Space-Based Method for More Accurate Gravitational Measurements,” in Bergmann, P. G., de Sabbata, V., Gillies, G. T., and Pronin, P. L, eds., Spin in Gravity: Is it Possible to Give an Experimental Basis to Torsion? (International School of Cosmology and Gravitation XVth Course), The Science and Culture Series — Physics, No. 16 (World Scientific, Singapore, 1998), pp. 225–230.
A.J. Sanders and G.T. Gillies, “A Comparative Survey of Proposals for Space-Based Determination of the Gravitational Constant G,” hoc. cit., pp. 231–234.
C. Schmidhuber, “On water, steam, and string theory,” Institut fü r Theoretische Physik, Universität Bern, Sidlerstr. 5, 3012 Bern, Schweiz, preprint (1997).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2002 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sanders, A.J., Gillies, G.T. (2002). Prospects for a Test or Measurement of (G-dot)/G by a See (Satellite Energy Exchange) Mission. In: Bergmann, P.G., de Sabbata, V. (eds) Advances in the Interplay Between Quantum and Gravity Physics. NATO Science Series, vol 60. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0347-6_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0347-6_15
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-0593-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-010-0347-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive