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Mars and frame-dragging: study for a dedicated mission

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Abstract

In this paper, we preliminarily explore the possibility of designing a dedicated satellite-based mission to measure the general relativistic gravitomagnetic Lense–Thirring effect in the gravitational field of Mars. The focus is on the systematic uncertainty induced by the multipolar expansion of the areopotential and on possible strategies to reduce it. It turns out that the major sources of bias are the Mars’equatorial radius R and the even zonal harmonics J ℓ, ℓ = 2, 4, 6, . . . of the areopotential. An optimal solution, in principle, consists of using two probes at high-altitudes (a ≈ 9,500–9,600 km) and different inclinations (one probe should fly in a nearly polar orbit), and suitably combining their nodes in order to entirely cancel out the bias due to δ R. The remaining uncancelled mismodelled terms due to δ J ℓ, ℓ = 2, 4, 6, . . . would induce a bias ≲ 1%, according to the present-day MGS95J gravity model, over a wide range of admissible values of the inclinations. The Lense–Thirring out-of-plane shifts of the two probes would amount to about 10 cm year−1.

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  1. INFN-Sezione di Pisa, Viale Unità di Italia 68, 70125, Bari (BA), Italy

    Lorenzo Iorio

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  1. Lorenzo Iorio
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Correspondence to Lorenzo Iorio.

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Iorio, L. Mars and frame-dragging: study for a dedicated mission. Gen Relativ Gravit 41, 1273–1284 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-008-0704-7

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