A Solar System Test of Mach's Principle with Gravimetric Data

Abstract

We present a new test for a possible Mach-Sciama dependence of the Gravitational constant G. According to Ernst Mach (1838-1916), the gravitational interaction depends on the distribution of masses in the universe. A corresponding hypothesis of Sciama (1953) on the gravitational constant, $c^2/G=\sum m_i/r_i$, can be tested since the elliptic earth orbit should then cause minute annual variations in G. The test is performed by analyzing the gravity signals of a network of superconducting gravimeters (SG) which reach a precision of $10^{-10}m/s^2$. After reducing the signal by modelling tidal, meteorologic and geophysical effects, no significant evidence for the above dependence is found.

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