Rotation, the Equivalence Principle, and the Gravity Probe B Experiment

Wei-Tou Ni
Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 051103 – Published 28 July 2011

Abstract

The ultraprecise Gravity Probe B experiment measured the frame-dragging effect and geodetic precession on four quartz gyros. We use this result to test WEP II (weak equivalence principle II) which includes rotation in the universal free-fall motion. The free-fall Eötvös parameter η for a rotating body is 1011 with a four-order improvement over previous results. The anomalous torque per unit angular momentum parameter λ is constrained to (0.05±3.67)×1015s1, (0.24±0.98)×1015s1, and (0±3.6)×1013s1, respectively, in the directions of geodetic effect, frame-dragging effect, and angular momentum axis; the dimensionless frequency-dependence parameter κ is constrained to (1.75±4.96)×1017, (1.80±1.34)×1017, and (0±3)×1014, respectively.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 21 May 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.051103

© 2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Wei-Tou Ni

  • Shanghai United Center for Astrophysics (SUCA), Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
  • Center for Gravitation and Cosmology, Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 30013, ROC

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Issue

Vol. 107, Iss. 5 — 29 July 2011

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