On the reliability of the so far performed tests for measuring the Lense-Thirring effect with the LAGEOS satellites
arXiv:gr-qc/0411024 · doi:10.1016/j.newast.2005.01.001
Abstract
In this paper we will show in detail that the performed attempts aimed at the detection of the general relativistic Lense-Thirring effect in the gravitational field of the Earth with the existing LAGEOS satellites are often presented in an optimistic and misleading way which is inadequate for such an important test of fundamental physics. E.g., in the latest reported measurement of the gravitomagnetic shift with the nodes of the LAGEOS satellites and the 2nd generation GRACE-only EIGEN-GRACE02S Earth gravity model over an observational time span of 11 years a 5-10% total accuracy is claimed at 1-3sigma, respectively. We will show that, instead, it might be 15-45% (1-3sigma) if the impact of the secular variations of the even zonal harmonics is considered as well.
LaTex2e, 22 pages, 1 figure, 1 table, 60 references. Conclusions and Table of Contents added. Estimates of the impact of J6dot on the node-node-perigee combination presented. Typos corrected and minor stylistic changes. Small changes due to G. Melki useful remarks. Lense-Thirring 'memory' effect in EIGEN-GRACE02S discussed
References in corpus (1)
Cited by in corpus (10)
- The Confrontation between General Relativity and Experiment
- Phenomenology of the Lense-Thirring effect in the Solar System
- The impact of the new Earth gravity models on the measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect with a new satellite
- A critical analysis of a recent test of the Lense-Thirring effect with the LAGEOS satellites
- Iorio's "high-precision measurement" of frame-dragging with the Mars Global Surveyor
- An assessment of the measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect in the Earth gravity field, in reply to: ``On the measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect using the nodes of the LAGEOS satellites, in reply to ``On the reliability of the so far performed tests for measuring the Lense-Thirring effect with the LAGEOS satellites'' by L. Iorio,'' by I. Ciufolini and E. Pavlis
- Conservative evaluation of the uncertainty in the LAGEOS-LAGEOS II Lense-Thirring test
- Gravito-magnetic gyroscope precession in Palatini f(R) gravity
- How to reach a few percent level in determining the Lense-Thirring effect?
- On the impossibility of using certain existing spacecraft for the measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect in the terrestrial gravitational field