Related papers: Demonstrating Martian Gravity
We present an atmospheric model tailored for the interactive visualization of planetary surfaces. As the exploration of the solar system is progressing with increasingly accurate missions and instruments, the faithful visualization of…
We investigate the frictional forces due to quantum fluctuations acting on a small sphere rotating near a surface. At zero temperature, we find the frictional force near a surface to be several orders of magnitude larger than that for the…
I discuss some aspects of the recent test of frame-dragging performed by me by exploiting the Root-Mean-Square (RMS) orbit overlap differences of the out-of-plane component N of the orbit of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft in the…
We present a theoretical study of the motion of the antihydrogen atom ($\bar{H}$) in the Earth's gravitational field above a material surface. We predict that $\bar{H}$ atom, falling in the Earth's gravitational field above a material…
Based on general relativity, clock comparisons enable the determination of the gravity potential relative to a stable reference. Lunar surface clocks, owing to the Moon's low-noise conditions, high orbital stability, and broad Earth…
Existing capabilities in laser ranging, optical interferometry and metrology, in combination with precision frequency standards, atom-based quantum sensors, and drag-free technologies, are critical for the space-based tests of fundamental…
In order to improve our understanding of landing on small bodies and of asteroid evolution, we use our novel drop tower facility to perform low-velocity (2-40 cm s^-1), shallow impact experiments of a 10 cm diameter aluminum sphere into…
Mars Global Surveyor measurements revealed that the Martian crust is strongly magnetized in the southern hemisphere while the northern hemisphere is virtually void of magnetization. Two possible reasons have been suggested for this…
Low gravity environment can have a profound impact on the behaviors of biological systems, the dynamics and heat transfer of fluids, and the growth and self-organization of materials. Systematic research on the effects of gravity is crucial…
We point out the idea that, at small scales, gravity can be described by the standard degrees of freedom of general relativity, plus a scalar particle and a degree of freedom of a new type: the fakeon. This possibility leads to fundamental…
It is shown that the gravity acceleration just above a chamber filled with gas or plasma at ultra-low pressure can be strongly reduced by applying an Extra Low-Frequency (ELF) electromagnetic field across the gas or the plasma. This…
Boulders on the surfaces of planets, satellites and small bodies, as well as their geological associations, provide important information about surface processes. We analyzed all available images of the surface of Mercury that have…
The upper atmospheres of Mars and Titan, as well as those on many other planetary bodies, exhibit significant density variations vs. altitude that are interpreted as gravity waves. Such data is then used to extract vertical temperature…
The equations governing motion of the satellite under the effect of oblateness of Earth and atmospheric drag have been simulated, for a fixed initial position and three different initial velocities, till satellite collapses on Earth.…
In this paper we examine the possibility of testing the equivalence principle, in its weak form, by analyzing the orbital motion of a pair of artificial satellites of different composition moving along orbits of identical shape and size in…
We propose gravity, matters and dark energy may be confined on different four dimensional \emph{minimal surfaces} for the observer in five dimensional spacetime. Following this idea, we construct the equations of motion when gravity,…
Free fall experiments are discussed by using test masses associated to quantum states not necessarily possessing a classical counterpart. The times of flight of the Galileian experiments using classical test masses are replaced in the…
For the past several decades, numerous attempts have been made to model the climate of Mars with extensive studies focusing on the planet's dynamics and the understanding of its climate. While physical modeling and data assimilation…
Planets in the habitable zone of lower-mass stars are often assumed to be in a state of tidally synchronized rotation, which would considerably affect their putative habitability. Although thermal tides cause Venus to rotate retrogradely,…
Erosion by flowing water is one of the major forces shaping the surface of Earth. Studies in the last decade have shown, in particular, that the drainage region of rivers, where water is collected, exhibits scale invariant features…