Thermal Analysis of the Pioneer Anomaly: A method to estimate radiative momentum transfer

Abstract

We present a methodology based on point-like Lambertian sources that enables one to perform a reliable and comprehensive estimate of the overall thermally induced acceleration of the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft. We show, by developing a sensitivity analysis of the several parameters of the model, that one may achieve a valuable insight on the possible thermal origin of the so-called Pioneer anomaly.

12 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables

References in corpus (4)

• Extra force in $f(R)$ modified theories of gravity
• Quantum Physics Exploring Gravity in the Outer Solar System: The Sagas Project
• Odyssey: a Solar System Mission
• A mission to test the Pioneer anomaly: estimating the main systematic effects

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Gravitational Anomalies in the Solar System?
• Entropic Gravity, Phase-Space Noncommutativity and the Equivalence Principle
• Solar system constraints on a Rindler-type extra-acceleration from modified gravity at large distances
• Gravitation Astrometric Measurement Experiment
• Modelling the nongravitational acceleration during Cassini's gravitation experiments
• On the effect of ocean tides and tesseral harmonics on spacecraft flybys of the Earth
• On the possible onset of the Pioneer anomaly
• The Contribution of Thermal Effects to the Acceleration of the Deep-Space Pioneer Spacecraft