Opportunities for Probing Fundamental Gravity with Solar System Experiments
Abstract
The recent discovery of "dark energy" has challenged Einstein's general theory of relativity as a complete model for our macroscopic universe. From a theoretical view, the challenge is even stronger: general relativity clearly does not extend to the very small, where quantum mechanics holds sway. Fundamental physics models thus require some major revisions. We must explore deeper to both constrain and inspire this needed new physics. In the realm of the solar-system, we can effectively probe for small deviations from the predictions of general relativity: Technology now offers a wide range of opportunities to pursue experiments with accuracies orders of magnitude better than yet achieved. We describe both the relevant theoretical backgrounds and the opportunities for far more accurate solar system experiments.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0902.3004,
title = {Opportunities for Probing Fundamental Gravity with Solar System Experiments},
author = {Slava G. Turyshev and Thomas W. Murphy, and Eric G. Adelberger and James Battat and Douglas Currie and William M. Folkner and Jens Gundlach and Stephen M. Merkowitz and Kenneth L. Nordtvedt and Robert D. Reasenberg and Irwin I. Shapiro and Michael Shao and Christopher W. Stubbs and Massimo Tinto and James G. Williams and Nan Yu},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0902.3004},
year = {2012}
}
Comments
8 pages, LaTeX, Astro2010 Science White Paper