New tests of the universality of free fall

Su, Yinao; Heckel, B. R.; Adelberger, E. G.; Gundlach, J. H.; Harris, Michael G.; Smith, G.; Swanson, H. E.

doi:10.1103/physrevd.50.3614

Cited by 300 publications

(289 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…If we insert in Eq. (22) the limit ∆a/a 10 −12 , coming from present experimental tests of the universality of free fall (UFF) [4], as well as the cosmological constraint (20) on the present value of ϕ ′ , we find that the present variation of the fine-structure constant is constrained to be |d ln e 2 /Hdt| 3 × 10 −6 , i.e. |d ln e 2 /dt| 2 × 10 −16 yr −1 .…”

Section: Cosmological Variation Of "Constants"mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, using the results of Ref. [3], one derives that the Lagrangian (1) predicts a violation of the universality of free fall at the level ∆a/a ∼ 10 −5 (to be compared with the present limits ∼ 10 −12 [4]), and a time variation of the finestructure constant e 2 on cosmological scales: d ln e 2 /dt ∼ 10 −10 yr −1 (to be compared with the Oklo limit ∼ 5 × 10 −17 yr −1 [see below], or with laboratory limits ∼ 10 −14 yr −1 [5,6]). It is generally assumed that this violent conflict with experimental tests of the equivalence principle is avoided because, after supersymmetry breaking, the dilaton 1 might acquire a (large enough) mass: say m φ 10 −3 eV so that observational deviations from Einstein's gravity are quenched on distances larger than a fraction of a millimeter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Damour

2003

Astrophysics and Space Science

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Abstract. In string theory the coupling "constants" appearing in the low-energy effective Lagrangian are determined by the vacuum expectation values of some (a priori) massless scalar fields (dilaton, moduli). This naturally leads one to expect a correlated variation of all the coupling constants, and an associated violation of the equivalence principle. We review some string-inspired theoretical models which incorporate such a spacetime variation of coupling constants while remaining naturally compatible both with phenomenological constraints coming from geochemical data (Oklo; Rhenium decay) and with present equivalence principle tests. Barring a very unnatural fine-tuning of parameters, a variation of the fine-structure constant as large as that recently "observed" by Webb et al. in quasar absorption spectra appears to be incompatible with these phenomenological constraints. Independently of any model, it is emphasized that the best experimental probe of varying constants are high-precision tests of the universality of free fall, such as MICROSCOPE and STEP.

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Section: Cosmological Variation Of "Constants"mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untitled

Damour

2003

Astrophysics and Space Science

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“…The presence of the gravivector in the theory introduces a violation of the equivalence principle on a range of distances of order the Compton wavelength R l . At present, the equivalence principle is verified with a precision |δγ/γ| < 3 × 10 −12 [12]. 1 This number was used in [6], in order to constrain the v.e.v.…”

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confidence: 99%

Phenomenology of Antigravity in N=2, 8 Supergravity

Bellucci

1999

International Europhysics Conference on High Energy Physics

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Abstract. N = 2, 8 supergravity predicts antigravity (gravivector and graviscalar) fields in the graviton supermultiplet. Data on the binary pulsar PSR 1913+16, tests of the equivalence principle and searches for a fifth force yield an upper bound of order 1 meter (respectively, 100 meters) on the range of the gravivector (respectively, graviscalar) interaction. Hence these fields are not important in non-relativistic astrophysics (for the weak-field limit of N = 2, 8 supergravity) but can play a role near black holes and for primordial structures in the early universe of a size comparable to their Compton wavelengths.The quest for a unified description of elementary particle and gravity theories led to local supersymmetry [1]. The large symmetry content of supergravity yields, in spite of its lack of renormalizability, powerful constraints on physical observables, e.g. anomalous magnetic moments [2].It has been shown that a clear case for antigravity theories arises, when considering N > 1 supergravity theories [3, 4]. Combining laboratory data together with geophysical and astronomical observations has provided us restrictions on the antigravity features of some extended supergravity theories [5,6]. This can have important consequences for high precision experiments measuring the difference in the gravitational acceleration of the proton and the antiproton [7]. A review of earlier ideas about antigravity is found in [8].The N = 2, 8 supergravity multiplets contain, in addition to the graviton, a vector field A l µ [9], [10,11]. This field, which we refer to as the gravivector, carries antigravity, because it couples to quarks and leptons with a positive sign and to antiquark and antileptons with a negative one. The coupling is proportional to the mass of the matter fields and vanishes for self-conjugated particles. The other antigravity field is the scalar σ entering the N = 8 supergravity multiplet [3, 4]. We refer to it as the graviscalar.We are bound, in force of the result of the Eötvös experiment, to take a nonvanishing mass for the field A l µ [3, 4].where the Higgs mechanism has been invoked. The presence of the gravivector in the theory introduces a violation of the equivalence principle on a range of distances of order the Compton wavelength R l . At present, the equivalence principle is verified with a precision |δγ/γ| <

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“…As noted above, the process of refining such tests continues today. For example, the group of Adelberger at the University of Washington [5] recently reported results of a torsion-balance experiment that include the conclusion that the gravitational accelerations of beryllium and copper test bodies toward the Earth are equal to better than 2.5 parts in 10 12 . The ultimate refinement of tests of the equality of such accelerations may well be represented by the space-based STEP experiment under development at Stanford University.…”

Section: From the Weak To Einstein's Equivalence Principlementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It can be tested in traditional Eötvös fashion using torsion balance technology as in reference [5] or by monitoring the relative motion of freely falling bodies as in the Bremen drop tower experiment [45] and in the proposed MICROSCOPE [46] and STEP [6] space-based experiments. To date, the highest precision, of order 10 −12 , has been achieved by torsion balance experiments, but the STEP experiment is designed to reach a precision of 10 −18 .…”

Section: Tests With Bulk Mattermentioning

confidence: 99%

Principles of Equivalence: Their Role in Gravitation Physics and Experiments That Test Them

Haugan

Lämmerzahl

Gyros, Clocks, Interferometers...: Testing Relativistic Graviy in Space

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Modern formulations of equivalence principles provide the foundation for an efficient approach to understanding and organizing the structural features of gravitation field theories. Since theories' predictions reflect differences in their structures, principles of equivalence also support an efficient experimental strategy for testing gravitation theories and for exploring the range of conceivable gravitation physics. These principles focus attention squarely on empirical consequences of the fundamental structural differences that distinguish one gravitation theory from another. Interestingly, the variety of such consequences makes it possible to design and perform experiments that test equivalence principles stringently but do so in markedly different ways than the most familiar experimental tests.

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New tests of the universality of free fall

Cited by 300 publications

References 29 publications

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Phenomenology of Antigravity in N=2, 8 Supergravity

Principles of Equivalence: Their Role in Gravitation Physics and Experiments That Test Them

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