STEP and fundamental physics

Abstract

The Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle (STEP) will advance experimental limits on violations of Einstein's Equivalence Principle from their present sensitivity of 2 parts in $10^{13}$ to 1 part in $10^{18}$ through multiple comparison of the motions of four pairs of test masses of different compositions in a drag-free earth-orbiting satellite. We describe the experiment, its current status, and its potential implications for fundamental physics. Equivalence is at the heart of general relativity, our governing theory of gravity, and violations are expected in most attempts to unify this theory with the other fundamental interactions of physics, as well as in many theoretical explanations for the phenomenon of dark energy in cosmology. Detection of such a violation would be equivalent to the discovery of a new force of nature. A null result would be almost as profound, pushing upper limits on any coupling between standard-model fields and the new light degrees of freedom generically predicted by these theories down to unnaturally small levels.

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Cited by in corpus (24)

• Search for New Physics with Atoms and Molecules
• Naturalness and the Weak Gravity Conjecture
• General Relativity and Cosmology: Unsolved Questions and Future Directions
• STE-QUEST - Test of the Universality of Free Fall Using Cold Atom Interferometry
• The status of varying constants: a review of the physics, searches and implications
• Precision Gravity Tests and the Einstein Equivalence Principle
• Tests of Gravity with Future Space-Based Experiments
• Correlative methods for dual-species quantum tests of the weak equivalence principle
• Evolution of the fine-structure constant in runaway dilaton models
• Testing the strong equivalence principle with the triple pulsar PSR J0337+1715
• Status of MICROSCOPE, a mission to test the Equivalence Principle in space
• Novel constraints on fifth forces and ultralight dark sector with asteroidal data
• Gauged B-L Number and Neutron--Antineutron Oscillation: Long-range Forces Mediated by Baryophotons
• Fine-structure constant constraints on dark energy: II. Extending the parameter space
• Dark energy and Equivalence Principle constraints from astrophysical tests of the stability of the fine-structure constant
• MICROSCOPE Mission scenario, ground segment and data processing
• Spacetime, Spin and Gravity Probe B
• Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle as a Probe of Modified Newtonian Dynamics
• Astrophysical and local constraints on string theory: runaway dilaton models
• Dealing with missing data in the MICROSCOPE space mission: An adaptation of inpainting to handle colored-noise data
• Fisher matrix forecasts for astrophysical tests of the stability of the fine-structure constant
• Spin squeezing enhanced dual species atom interferometric accelerometer employing large momentum transfer for precision test of the equivalence principle
• Equivalent Gravities and Equivalence Principle: Foundations and experimental implications
• Nonminimal Lorentz Violation in Macroscopic Matter