A Search for New Physics with the BEACON Mission

Abstract

The primary objective of the Beyond Einstein Advanced Coherent Optical Network (BEACON) mission is a search for new physics beyond general relativity by measuring the curvature of relativistic space-time around Earth. This curvature is characterized by the Eddington parameter γ-- the most fundamental relativistic gravity parameter and a direct measure for the presence of new physical interactions. BEACON will achieve an accuracy of 1 x 10^{-9} in measuring the parameter γ, thereby going a factor of 30,000 beyond the present best result involving the Cassini spacecraft. Secondary mission objectives include: (i) a direct measurement of the "frame-dragging" and geodetic precessions in the Earth's rotational gravitomagnetic field, to 0.05% and 0.03% accuracy correspondingly, (ii) first measurement of gravity's non-linear effects on light and corresponding 2nd order spatial metric's effects to 0.01% accuracy. BEACON will lead to robust advances in tests of fundamental physics -- this mission could discover a violation or extension of general relativity and/or reveal the presence of an additional long range interaction in physics. BEACON will provide crucial information to separate modern scalar-tensor theories of gravity from general relativity, probe possible ways for gravity quantization, and test modern theories of cosmological evolution.

8 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables

References in corpus (4)

• Progress in Lunar Laser Ranging Tests of Relativistic Gravity
• Coherent optical phase transfer over a 32-km fiber with 1-s instability at $10^{-17}$
• Space-based research in fundamental physics and quantum technologies
• Relativistic gravitational deflection of light and its impact on the modeling accuracy for the Space Interferometry Mission

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