Test of the gravitational redshift with stable clocks in eccentric orbits: application to Galileo satellites 5 and 6

Delva, P.; Hees, A.; Bertone, S.; Richard, E.; Wolf, P. (2015). Test of the gravitational redshift with stable clocks in eccentric orbits: application to Galileo satellites 5 and 6. Classical and quantum gravity, 32(23), p. 232003. TEMPLE CIRCUS, TEMPLE WAY, BRISTOL BS1 6BE, ENGLAND: Institute of Physics Publishing IOP 10.1088/0264-9381/32/23/232003

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The Einstein Equivalence Principle (EEP) is one of the foundations of the theory of General Relativity and several alternative theories of gravitation predict violations of the EEP. Experimental constraints on this fundamental principle of nature are therefore of paramount importance. The EEP can be split into three sub-principles: the universality of free fall (UFF), the local Lorentz invariance (LLI) and the local position invariance (LPI). In this paper we propose to use stable clocks in eccentric orbits to perform a test of the gravitational redshift, a consequence of the LPI. The best test to date was performed with the Gravity Probe A (GP-A) experiment in 1976 with an uncertainty of 1.4 x 10(-4). Our proposal considers the opportunity of using Galileo satellites 5 and 6 to improve on the GP-A test uncertainty. We show that considering realistic noise and systematic effects, and thanks to a highly eccentric orbit, it is possible to improve on the GP-A limit to an uncertainty around (3-4) x 10(-5) after one year of integration of Galileo 5 and 6 data.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Astronomy

UniBE Contributor:

Bertone, Stefano

Subjects:

500 Science > 520 Astronomy

ISSN:

0264-9381

Publisher:

Institute of Physics Publishing IOP

Language:

English

Submitter:

Pierre Fridez

Date Deposited:

09 Sep 2021 14:18

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:52

Publisher DOI:

10.1088/0264-9381/32/23/232003

Uncontrolled Keywords:

general relativity; gravitational redshift test; GNSS; galileo; atomic clocks

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/158402

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/158402

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