Testing frame-dragging with the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft in the gravitational field of Mars
Abstract
In this paper we propose an interpretation of the time series of the RMS overlap differences of the out-of-plane part of the orbit of the Martian polar orbiter Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) over a time span Delta P of about 5 years (14 November 1999-14 January 2005) in terms of the general relativistic gravitomagnetic Lense-Thirring effect. It turns out that the average of such a time series over Delta P, normalized to the predicted Lense-Thirring out-of-plane mean shift over the same time span, is \mu= 1.0018 +/- 0.0053. A linear fit of the considered time series over Delta P yields a normalized slope 1.1 +/- 0.3 strengthening our interpretation of the determined MGS out-of-plane features of motion as due to the gravitomagnetic force of Mars.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.gr-qc/0701042,
title = {Testing frame-dragging with the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft in the gravitational field of Mars},
author = {Lorenzo Iorio},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/0701042},
year = {2008}
}
Comments
Latex2e, 12 pages, no figures, 3 tables, 51 references. Refined calculation of the average orbit error. New value for mu. Terminology improved. References added. Sectioning improved. Important considerations in the Conclusions added. New material added about a linear fit