Anomalous Orbital-Energy Changes Observed during Spacecraft Flybys of Earth

Anderson, J. D.; Campbell, James; Ekelund, J. E.; Ellis, J.; Jordan, J. F.

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.100.091102

Cited by 159 publications

(338 citation statements)

References 7 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…The cosmological constant problem [1] and the nature of dark matter [2] are the most prominent ones. At a somewhat smaller scale, both in terms of actual size and in terms of scientific credibility, there are fly-by anomalies [3] and the Pioneer anomaly [4]. The word "anomalous" here refers to the difference between the observed trajectory of a test-particle in the gravitational field of a central object and the calculated trajectory.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Erratum: Model for Gravity at Large Distances [Phys. Rev. Lett.105, 211303 (2010)]

Grumiller¹

2011

Phys. Rev. Lett.

108

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We construct an effective model for gravity of a central object at large scales. To leading order in the large radius expansion we find a cosmological constant, a Rindler acceleration, a term that sets the physical scales and subleading terms. All these terms are expected from general relativity, except for the Rindler term. The latter leads to an anomalous acceleration in geodesics of test-particles. 95.35.+d, Gravity at large distances poses some of the most difficult puzzles in contemporary gravitational physics. The cosmological constant problem [1] and the nature of dark matter [2] are the most prominent ones. At a somewhat smaller scale, both in terms of actual size and in terms of scientific credibility, there are fly-by anomalies [3] and the Pioneer anomaly [4]. The word "anomalous" here refers to the difference between the observed trajectory of a test-particle in the gravitational field of a central object and the calculated trajectory. The pair test-particle/central object can mean e.g. galaxy/cluster, star/galaxy, Sun/Pioneer spacecraft, Earth/satellite, etc.Conceptually, there are three ways to resolve the anomalies. Either we modify the matter content of the theory (dark matter), or we modify the gravitational theory itself. The third alternative is that we might not be applying the theory correctly or beyond its realm of validity. Namely, even though effects that go beyond general relativity (GR) or its Newtonian limit are small locally, they may accumulate over large distances and/or through averaging, see [5][6][7] for various approaches that advocate this idea and implement it in different ways. In this Letter we advocate a new approach to describe gravity at large distances that is agnostic about the issue which of these three alternatives is realized in Nature. The main strength of our method lies in its rigidity -there is only one new free parameter -and in its ab initio nature.One well-established key ingredient to our approach is to construct an effective field theory by writing down the most general action consistent with all the required symmetries and with additional assumptions (power counting renormalizability, analyticity, ...). A crucial point is that we impose spherical symmetry in addition to diffeomorphism invariance, which often is a good approximation in the IR [27]. Spherical symmetry effectively reduces the theory to two dimensions. The main result of this Letter is that the most general action consistent with our assumptions leads to an additional term in the gravitational potential as compared to GR. This novel term generates accelerations similar to the ones observed in various "anomalous" systems in Nature and has a beautifully simple geometric interpretation as Rindler acceleration. EFFECTIVE FIELD THEORY FOR IR GRAVITYTo address the issue of anomalous acceleration of testparticles in the gravitational field of a central object we first simplify the underlying theory as much as possible. We assume that spacetime is described by a spherically symmetric metric in four dim...

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Erratum: Model for Gravity at Large Distances [Phys. Rev. Lett.105, 211303 (2010)]

Grumiller¹

2011

Phys. Rev. Lett.

108

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“…Considering v ∞ ∼ 6 × 10 3 km/s, as reported for the NEAR spacecraft [1], we obtain v r ∼ 7 km/s and v θ ∼ 1 km/s, values that are in the order of the expected magnitude. The mathematical solution of Eq.…”

Section: Spacecraft In Retrograde Directionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We suggest a possible theoretical explanation of the physical process underlying the unexpected orbitalenergy change observed during the close planetary flybys [1,2] based on the topological torsion current (TTC) found in a previous work [3]. The theoretical framework is classical.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Some effects of topological torsion currents on spacecraft dynamics and the flyby anomaly

Pinheiro

2016

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.

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The modified dynamical equation of motions introduced in previous publication topological torsion current (TTC) [Mario J. Pinheiro (2013) 'A Variational Method in Out-of-Equilibrium Physical Systems', Scientific Reports 3, Article number: 3454] predicts a so-far unforseen anomalous acceleration detected in spacecrafts during close planetary flybys in retrograde direction, and a null-effect when the spacecraft approach the planet in posigrade direction.

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“…23,24,43 Accordingly, the vacuum as the tangible substance couples to a rotating body and hence manifests itself, for example, as the frame-dragging effect 50,51 and flyby anomaly. 52 When the system has attained thermodynamic balance with its surroundings, then the net flux of force carriers vanishes between the system and its surroundings. At the stationary state, where time variable is redundant, Eq.…”

Section: What Is Gravity?mentioning

confidence: 99%

On the exhaust of electromagnetic drive

Grahn¹,

Annila

Kolehmainen

2016

AIP Advances

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Recent reports about propulsion without reaction mass have been met on one hand with enthusiasm and on the other hand with some doubts. Namely, closed metal cavities, when fueled with microwaves, have delivered thrust that could eventually maintain satellites on orbits using solar power. However, the measured thrust appears to be without any apparent exhaust. Thus the Law of Action-Reaction seems to have been violated. We consider the possibility that the exhaust is in a form that has so far escaped both experimental detection and theoretical attention. In the thruster’s cavity microwaves interfere with each other and invariably some photons will also end up co-propagating with opposite phases. At the destructive interference electromagnetic fields cancel. However, the photons themselves do not vanish for nothing but continue in propagation. These photon pairs without net electromagnetic field do not reflect back from the metal walls but escape from the resonator. By this action momentum is lost from the cavity which, according to the conservation of momentum, gives rise to an equal and opposite reaction. We examine theoretical corollaries and practical concerns that follow from the paired-photon conclusion.

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Anomalous Orbital-Energy Changes Observed during Spacecraft Flybys of Earth

Cited by 159 publications

References 7 publications

Erratum: Model for Gravity at Large Distances [Phys. Rev. Lett.105, 211303 (2010)]

Erratum: Model for Gravity at Large Distances [Phys. Rev. Lett.105, 211303 (2010)]

Some effects of topological torsion currents on spacecraft dynamics and the flyby anomaly

On the exhaust of electromagnetic drive

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