Rotation, Equivalence Principle, and GP-B Experiment

Abstract

The ultra-precise Gravity Probe B experiment measured the frame-dragging effect and geodetic precession on four quartz gyros. We use this result to test WEP II (Weak Equivalence Principle II) which includes rotation in the universal free-fall motion. The free-fall Eötvös parameter eta for rotating body is < = 10**(-11) with four-order improvement over previous results. The anomalous torque per unit angular momentum parameter lambda is constrained to (-0.05 +- 3.67) \times 10**(-15) s-1, (0.24 +- 0.98) \times 10**(-15) s-1, and (0 +- 3.6) \times 10**(-13) s-1 respectively in the directions of geodetic effect, frame-dragging effect and angular momentum axis; the dimensionless frequency-dependence parameter κ is constrained to (1.75 +- 4.96) \times 10**(-17), (1.80 +- 1.34) \times 10**(-17), and (0 +- 3) \times 10**(-14) respectively.

9 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables

References in corpus (3)

• Gravity Probe B: Final Results of a Space Experiment to Test General Relativity
• Searches for the role of spin and polarization in gravity
• From Equivalence Principles to Cosmology: Cosmic Polarization Rotation, CMB Observation, Neutrino Number Asymmetry, Lorentz Invariance and CPT

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• Solar-system tests of the relativistic gravity
• Local Lorentz transformations and Thomas effect in general relativity
• Spacetime, Spin and Gravity Probe B
• Testing the Equivalence Principle with Unstable Particles
• Equivalence Principles, Spacetime Structure and the Cosmic Connection