Testing General Relativity with Laser Ranging to the Moon

Details Testing General Relativity with Laser Ranging to the Moon Testing General Relativity with Laser Ranging to the Moon

Oct 1967

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1967phrv..162.1275b&link_type=abstract

Physical Review, vol. 162, Issue 5, pp. 1275-1287

Physics

41

Scientific paper

This paper assesses some possibilities inherent in precise laser ranging to the moon for testing Einstein's theory of gravitation. The anticipated accuracy of the determination of the light transit time for a laser pulse returned by an optical corner reflector on the lunar surface is about two parts in 1010. Such high precision opens the possibility of detecting general relativistic effects in both the light propagation itself and in the lunar motion. The detailed analysis presented here indicates that, although the effects on light propagation are probably not detectable, there are general relativistic effects in the lunar motion which appear to be observationally accessible with the expected laser-ranging data. Observation of the dominant effect would provide a significant test of the correctness of the geodesic equation, to O(1c2) beyond the Newtonian approximation, for describing the motion of bodies in a gravitational field.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Testing General Relativity with Laser Ranging to the Moon does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Testing General Relativity with Laser Ranging to the Moon, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Testing General Relativity with Laser Ranging to the Moon will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1753004