7 research outputs found
Fiber-Optic-Gyroscope Measurements Close to Rotating Liquid Helium
We previously reported anomalous fiber-optic gyroscope signals observed above
rotating rings at temperatures close to liquid helium. Our results suggested
that the liquid helium itself may be the source of our observed phenomenon. We
constructed a new cryostat experiment that allows rotating a large quantity of
liquid helium together with a superconducting niobium tube. The facility is
built in such a way that our gyroscope can be placed directly in the center of
rotation along the axis; however, the cryostat is built around the gyroscope to
allow measuring without interference of helium liquid or gas. An anomalous
signal was found of similar value compared to our previous measurements with a
changed sign. As this measurement was done at a different location (center
position) with respect to our old setup (top position), first hints for a
possible field distribution of this phenomenon can be made. However, due to
lower angular velocities used in this new setup so far, our measurement
resolution was close to three times the resolution of our gyroscope and hence
our data represent work in progress.Comment: To appear in the SPESIF-2010 conference proceedings published by AI
Measurement of Gravitomagnetic and Acceleration Fields Around Rotating Superconductors
It is well known that a rotating superconductor produces a magnetic field
proportional to its angular velocity. The authors conjectured earlier, that in
addition to this so-called London moment, also a large gravitomagnetic field
should appear to explain an apparent mass increase of Niobium Cooper-pairs. A
similar field is predicted from Einstein's general relativity theory and the
presently observed amount of dark energy in the universe. An experimental
facility was designed and built to measure small acceleration fields as well as
gravitomagnetic fields in the vicinity of a fast rotating and accelerating
superconductor in order to detect this so-called gravitomagnetic London moment.
This paper summarizes the efforts and results that have been obtained so far.
Measurements with Niobium superconductors indeed show first signs which appear
to be within a factor of 2 of our theoretical prediction. Possible error
sources as well as the experimental difficulties are reviewed and discussed. If
the gravitomagnetic London moment indeed exists, acceleration fields could be
produced in a laboratory environment.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the STAIF-2007 conference published
by AI
Can the Tajmar effect be explained using a modification of inertia?
The Tajmar effect is an unexplained acceleration observed by accelerometers
and laser gyroscopes close to rotating supercooled rings. The observed ratio
between the gyroscope and ring accelerations was 3+/-1.2x10^-8. Here, a new
model for inertia which has been tested quite successfully on the Pioneer and
flyby anomalies is applied to this problem. The model assumes that the inertia
of the gyroscope is caused by Unruh radiation that appears as the ring and the
fixed stars accelerate relative to it, and that this radiation is subject to a
Hubble-scale Casimir effect. The model predicts that the sudden acceleration of
the nearby ring causes a slight increase in the inertial mass of the gyroscope,
and, to conserve momentum in the reference frame of the spinning Earth, the
gyroscope rotates clockwise with an acceleration ratio of 1.8+/-0.25x10^-8 in
agreement with the observed ratio. However, this model does not explain the
parity violation seen in some of the gyroscope data. To test these ideas the
Tajmar experiment (setup B) could be exactly reproduced in the southern
hemisphere, since the model predicts that the anomalous acceleration should
then be anticlockwise.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure. Accepted by EPL on the 4th December, 200
Generation of Closed Timelike Curves with Rotating Superconductors
The spacetime metric around a rotating SuperConductive Ring (SCR) is deduced
from the gravitomagnetic London moment in rotating superconductors. It is shown
that theoretically it is possible to generate Closed Timelike Curves (CTC) with
rotating SCRs. The possibility to use these CTC's to travel in time as
initially idealized by G\"{o}del is investigated. It is shown however, that
from a technology and experimental point of view these ideas are impossible to
implement in the present context.Comment: 9 pages. Submitted to Classical and Quantum Gravit