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Gravitomagnetic Influence on Gyroscopes and on the Lunar Orbit

T. W. Murphy, Jr., K. Nordtvedt, and S. G. Turyshev
Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 071102 – Published 13 February 2007

Abstract

Gravitomagnetism—a motional coupling of matter analogous to the Lorentz force in electromagnetism—has observable consequences for any scenario involving differing mass currents. Examples include gyroscopes located near a rotating massive body and the interaction of two orbiting bodies. In the former case, the resulting precession of the gyroscope is often called “frame dragging” and is the principal measurement sought by the Gravity Probe-B experiment. The latter case is realized in the Earth-Moon system, and the effect has in fact been confirmed via lunar laser ranging to approximately 0.1% accuracy—better than the anticipated accuracy of the Gravity-Probe-B result. This Letter shows the connection between these seemingly disparate phenomena by employing the same gravitomagnetic term in the equation of motion to obtain both gyroscopic precession and modification of the lunar orbit.

  • Received 19 December 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.071102

©2007 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

T. W. Murphy, Jr.1,*, K. Nordtvedt2, and S. G. Turyshev3

  • 1University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0424, USA
  • 2Northwest Analysis, 118 Sourdough Ridge Road, Bozeman, Montana 59715, USA
  • 3Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, USA

  • *Electronic address: tmurphy@physics.ucsd.edu

Comments & Replies

Murphy, Nordtvedt, and Turyshev Reply:

T. W. Murphy, Jr., K. Nordtvedt, and S. G. Turyshev
Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 229002 (2007)

Comment on “Gravitomagnetic Influence on Gyroscopes and on the Lunar Orbit”

Sergei M. Kopeikin
Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 229001 (2007)

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Issue

Vol. 98, Iss. 7 — 16 February 2007

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