The effect of the motion of the Sun on the light-time in interplanetary relativistic experiments

Abstract

In 2002 a measurement of the effect of solar gravity upon the phase of coherent microwave beams passing near the Sun has been carried out with the Cassini mission, allowing a very accurate measurement of the PPN parameter $\gamma$. The data have been analyzed with NASA's Orbit Determination Program (ODP) in the Barycentric Celestial Reference System, in which the Sun moves around the centre of mass of the solar system with a velocity $v_{\odot }$ of about 10 m/sec; the question arises, what correction this implies for the predicted phase shift. After a review of the way the ODP works, we set the problem in the framework of Lorentz (and Galilean) transformations and evaluate the correction; it is several orders of magnitude below our experimental accuracy. We also discuss a recent paper \cite{kopeikin07}, which claims wrong and much larger corrections, and clarify the reasons for the discrepancy.

Final version accepted by Classical and Quantum Gravity (8 Jan. 2008)

References in corpus (3)

• Signals for Lorentz Violation in Post-Newtonian Gravity
• The Laser Astrometric Test of Relativity (LATOR) Mission
• Gravimagnetic effect of the barycentric motion of the Sun and determination of the post-Newtonian parameter gamma in the Cassini experiment

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• Second Post-Minkowskian Metric for a Moving Kerr Black Hole
• On the two approaches to the data analysis of the Cassini interplanetary relativity experiment
• Kerr-Schild Form of the Exact Metric for a Constantly Moving Kerr Black Hole and Null Gravitational Deflection
• Leading-order gravitational time delay of massive particles by a moving Schwarzschild lens