Is the physics within the Solar system really understood?

Abstract

A collection is made of presently unexplained phenomena within our Solar system and in the universe. These phenomena are (i) the Pioneer anomaly, (ii) the flyby anomaly, (iii) the increase of the Astronomical Unit, (iv) the quadrupole and octupole anomaly, and (v) Dark Energy and (vi) Dark Matter. A new data analysis of the complete set of Pioneer data is announced in order to search for systematic effects or to confirm the unexplained acceleration. We also review the mysterious flyby anomaly where the velocities of spacecraft after Earth swing--bys are larger than expected. We emphasize the scientific aspects of this anomaly and propose systematic and continuous observations and studies at the occasion of future flybys. Further anomalies within the Solar system are the increase of the Astronomical Unit and the quadrupole and octupole anomaly. We briefly mention Dark Matter and Dark Energy since in some cases a relation between them and the Solar system anomalies have been speculated.

22 pages, 3 figures, submitted for the proceedings of the 359th WE-Heraeus Seminar on "Lasers, Clocks, and Drag-Free: Technologies for Future Exploration in Space and Tests of Gravity"

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• Measurements of Omega and Lambda from 42 High-Redshift Supernovae
• First Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Determination of Cosmological Parameters
• The Cosmological Constant and Dark Energy
• First Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Preliminary Maps and Basic Results
• Cosmological parameters from SDSS and WMAP
• Relativistic gravitation theory for the MOND paradigm
• Study of the anomalous acceleration of Pioneer 10 and 11
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• Is the low-l microwave background cosmic?
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• Runaway dilaton and equivalence principle violations
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• Cosmological Acceleration and Gravitational Collapse
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• How dominant is the vacuum?
• Can Minor Planets be Used to Assess Gravity in the Outer Solar System?
• Vacuum C-metric and the Gravitational Stark Effect
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Cited by in corpus (5)

• The Flyby Anomaly and the Gravitational-Magnetic Field Induced Frame-Dragging Effect around the Earth
• Effect of the Earth's time-retarded transverse gravitational field on the motion of the Moon
• Extrasolar scale change in Newton's Law from 5D `plain' R^2-gravity
• Macroscopic quantization of gravity
• Effects of the Sun's time-retarded gravitational field on the orbital motions of Mercury and Halley's Comet