Abstract
We present the compact Gravimetric Atom Interferometer (GAIN), based on laser-cooled 87Rb atoms, and discuss its first measurements of the local gravitational acceleration. In this context, we also describe an active vibration isolation system and a tip-tilt stage, which allow for a suppression of vibrational noise and systematic effects like the Coriolis force due to Earth’s rotation.
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Notes
The Earth’s rotation causes also a centrifugal force, which, however, is commonly included in the definition of g.
1 μ Gal = 10−8 m/s2 ≈ 10−9 g
The subtracted offset is the mean value of the residue and would give the local, absolute gravitational value if all systematics were eliminated.
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Acknowledgments
This work is supported by the European Science Foundation and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Euro-Quasar-IQS, PE 904/2-1 and PE 904/4-1). We thank the Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie and the Institut für Erdmessung for their help with the tidal model and its parameters.
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Hauth, M., Freier, C., Schkolnik, V. et al. First gravity measurements using the mobile atom interferometer GAIN. Appl. Phys. B 113, 49–55 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-013-5413-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-013-5413-6