Can Traditional Terrestrial Applications of Gravity Gradiometry Rely Upon Quantum Technologies ? A Side View

Abstract

The era of practical terrestrial applications of gravity gradiometry begun in 1890 when Baron Lorand von Eötvös, a Hungarian nobleman and a talented physicist and engineer, invented his famous torsion balance -the first practical gravity gradients measuring device. It was credited for the major oil discoveries later in Texas (USA). A 100 years later Kasevich and Chu pioneered the use of quantum physics for gravity gradient measurements. Since then cold-atom gravity gradiometers, or matter-wave gravity gradiometers, had been under development at almost every physics department of top-rated universities around the globe. After another 30 years since the Kasevich and Chu publication in 1992, which had led to the first ever quantum gravity gradiometer, the corresponding research and development ceased from being profoundly active a few years back. This article is an attempt to understand and explain what may have happened to the Quantum Invasion into the area of applied physics and precision engineering that traditionally has been occupied by non-quantum technologies developed for about a 130 years of the history of gravity gradiometry.