Measuring the Gravitational Constant with 1000 times present Precision:

Discussion in 'Physics & Math' started by paddoboy, May 17, 2016.

  1. paddoboy Valued Senior Member

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    Deep space experiment could measure the gravitational constant with nearly 1,000 times improvement in accuracy
    May 17, 2016 by Lisa Zyga report

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    In the proposed experimental setup, a host spacecraft (right) shines a femtosecond laser pulse onto a retroreflector moving in the tunnel of a sphere (left). The period of the retroreflector’s harmonic motion provides information on the value of G. Credit: Feldman et al. ©2016 IOP Publishing
    (Phys.org)—Scientists have proposed the first experiment that could measure the value of Newton's gravitational constant, G, from deep space instead of an Earth-based laboratory. The researchers predict that the deep space experiment could estimate G with an improvement in precision of nearly three orders of magnitude, since it would avoid the influence of Earth's gravity.



    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-05-deep-space-gravitational-constant-accuracy.html#jCp
     
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  3. paddoboy Valued Senior Member

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    http://arxiv.org/pdf/1605.02126v1.pdf

    Deep space experiment to measure G

    Abstract.

    Responding to calls from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for new proposals to measure the gravitational constant G, we offer an interesting experiment in deep space employing the classic gravity train mechanism. Our setup requires three bodies: a larger layered solid sphere with a cylindrical hole through its center, a much smaller retroreflector which will undergo harmonic motion within the hole and a host spacecraft with laser ranging capabilities to measure round trip lighttimes to the retroreflector but ultimately separated a significant distance away from the sphere-retroreflector apparatus. Measurements of the period of oscillation of the retroreflector in terms of host spacecraft clock time using existing technology could give determinations of G nearly three orders of magnitude more accurate than current measurements here on Earth. However, significant engineering advances in the release mechanism of the apparatus from the host spacecraft will likely be necessary. Issues with regard to the stability of the system are briefly addressed.
     
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  5. Richard Benish Registered Member

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    "Retroreflector which will undergo harmonic motion within the hole..."

    Curiously, this kind of harmonic motion has never yet been observed. There are theoretical reasons for expecting that the device will indeed function as a clock and serve to measure G. But one might also argue that a lower-cost prototype "proof of concept" version of the apparatus ought to be built first in a "near Earth" laboratory (or low-Earth orbit). Such arguments are expounded upon here:

    http://vixra.org/abs/1612.0341

    Note also that, in contrast to the high-energy, high cost machine at CERN, the apparatus proposed by Feldman, et al may be called a Small Low-Energy Non-Collider.
     
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