Abstract
We are proposing a ground-based experiment to detect the Lense-Thirring drag due to the rotating earth by an off-line comparison between an astrometric measurement of the Earth rotation and an inertial measurement of the angular velocity of the laboratory. It is shown that the former, by means of routine observations of Very Long Baseline Interferometry, has already reached the accuracy needed to perform a 3 % experiment on a time span of ∼1 yr. We propose to perform the latter by a dynamical detector of local rotation of novel conception, the Gyromagnetic Electron Gyroscope. Its principle of operation is briefly discussed together with its response to rotationlike gravitational fields.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Mashoon, B., Hehl, F. W. and Theiss, D. S. (1984).Gen. Rel. Grav.,16, 711.
Schiff, L. S. (1960).Phys. Rev. Lett.,4, 215.
Physics Today (May 1984),20.
Braginsky, V. B., Polnarev, A. G., and Thorne, K. S. (1985).Phys. Rev. Lett.,53, 863.
Ciufolini, I. (1986).Phys. Rev. Lett.,56, 278.
Bonaldi, M., Cerdonio, M., Falferi, P., Goller, A., Mazzer, M., Miotello, A., Prodi, G. A., Sorge, F., Tommasini, R., Vanzo, L., Vitale, S., Zerbini, S. (1986). In Proceedings of the IV Marcel Grossmann Meeting, Ruffini, R., ed. (Elsevier, New York), p. 1309–1318; Bonaldi, M. Cerdonio, M., Falferi, P., Prodi, G. A., Rovelli, C., and Vitale, S. (1986). In Proceedings of the 7th Italian Conf. on General Relativity and Gravitational Physics, Bruzzo, V., Cianci, R., and Massa, E., eds. (World Scientific, Singapore), p. 497–501. Also presented in 1986 at GR11 (Stockholm).
Cerdonio, M., Bonaldi, M., Falferi, P., Prodi, G. A., and Vitale, S. (1987).Jap. Journ. Appl. Phys.,26 Suppl. 26-3, 1669–1670; and references therein.
BIH, Annual Report for 1984, D-9; Robertson, D. S., Carter, W. E. Tapley, B. D., Schutz, B. E. and Eanes, R. J. (1985).Science,225, 1259.
Chow, W. W., Gea-Banacloche, J., Pedrotti, L. M., Sanders, V. E., Schleich, W., and Scully, M. O. (1985).Rev. Mod. Phys.,57, 61.
Barnett, S. J. (1915).Phys. Rev.,6, 171.
Fairbank, W. M. (1968). London award lecture. In Proceedings if the XI International Conference on Low Temperature Physics, Allen, J. F., Finlayson, D. M., and McCall, D. M., eds. (St. Andrews University Press); Zimmermann, J. E. and Mercereau, J. E. (1965).Phys. Rev. Lett.,14, 887.
Payne, S. H. and Stedman, G. E. (1975).Phys. Lett. A 50, 415.
Cerdonio, M., Ricci, F. F., Romani, G. L. (1977).J. Appl. Phys.,48, 4799.
Cerdonio, M. and Vitale, S. (1987). Extended Abstracts of the International Superconductivity Electronic Conference. (The Japan Soc. of Applied Physics, Tokyo), p. 192–195; Bonaldi, M., Cerdonio, M., Falferi, P., Fontana, G., Goller, A., Maraner, A., Mezzena, R., Prodi, G. A. and Vitale, S. (1987). In Proceedings Int. Symp. Experimental Gravitational Physics, Michelson, P., ed. (World Scientific, Singapore, in press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cerdonio, M., Prodi, G.A. & Vitale, S. Dragging of inertial frames by the rotating Earth: Proposal and feasibility for a ground-based detection. Gen Relat Gravit 20, 83–87 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00759259
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00759259