7 research outputs found

    An alternative derivation of the gravitomagnetic clock effect

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    The possibility of detecting the gravitomagnetic clock effect using artificial Earth satellites provides the incentive to develop a more intuitive approach to its derivation. We first consider two test electric charges moving on the same circular orbit but in opposite directions in orthogonal electric and magnetic fields and show that the particles take different times in describing a full orbit. The expression for the time difference is completely analogous to that of the general relativistic gravitomagnetic clock effect in the weak-field and slow-motion approximation. The latter is obtained by considering the gravitomagnetic force as a small classical non-central perturbation of the main central Newtonian monopole force. A general expression for the clock effect is given for a spherical orbit with an arbitrary inclination angle. This formula differs from the result of the general relativistic calculations by terms of order c^{-4}.Comment: LaTex2e, 11 pages, 1 figure, IOP macros. Submitted to Classical and Quantum Gravit

    On the Possibility of Measuring the Gravitomagnetic Clock Effect in an Earth Space-Based Experiment

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    In this paper the effect of the post-Newtonian gravitomagnetic force on the mean longitudes ll of a pair of counter-rotating Earth artificial satellites following almost identical circular equatorial orbits is investigated. The possibility of measuring it is examined. The observable is the difference of the times required to ll in passing from 0 to 2π\pi for both senses of motion. Such gravitomagnetic time shift, which is independent of the orbital parameters of the satellites, amounts to 5×107\times 10^{-7} s for Earth; it is cumulative and should be measured after a sufficiently high number of revolutions. The major limiting factors are the unavoidable imperfect cancellation of the Keplerian periods, which yields a constraint of 102^{-2} cm in knowing the difference between the semimajor axes aa of the satellites, and the difference II of the inclinations ii of the orbital planes which, for i0.01i\sim 0.01^\circ, should be less than 0.0060.006^\circ. A pair of spacecrafts endowed with a sophisticated intersatellite tracking apparatus and drag-free control down to 109^{-9} cm s2^{-2} Hz1/2^{-{1/2}} level might allow to meet the stringent requirements posed by such a mission.Comment: LaTex2e, 22 pages, no tables, 1 figure, 38 references. Final version accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravit

    Phenomenology of the Lense-Thirring effect in the Solar System

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    Recent years have seen increasing efforts to directly measure some aspects of the general relativistic gravitomagnetic interaction in several astronomical scenarios in the solar system. After briefly overviewing the concept of gravitomagnetism from a theoretical point of view, we review the performed or proposed attempts to detect the Lense-Thirring effect affecting the orbital motions of natural and artificial bodies in the gravitational fields of the Sun, Earth, Mars and Jupiter. In particular, we will focus on the evaluation of the impact of several sources of systematic uncertainties of dynamical origin to realistically elucidate the present and future perspectives in directly measuring such an elusive relativistic effect.Comment: LaTex, 51 pages, 14 figures, 22 tables. Invited review, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Science (ApSS). Some uncited references in the text now correctly quoted. One reference added. A footnote adde

    History of the attempts to measure orbital frame-dragging with artificial satellites

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