A 10 minute test of the weak equivalence principle
ORAL
Abstract
We are developing a payload for detecting a possible violation of the weak equivalence principle while on a sounding rocket's free-fall trajectory. We estimate an uncertainty of $\sigma (\eta )=10^{-16}$ from a single night-time flight. A quick experiment with this accuracy is possible because: 1) The principal measurement is by a laser gauge that has a projected measurement uncertainty of 0.1 pm$/\sqrt {Hz} $; 2) The thermal environment is stable; 3) Payload inversions cancel most systematic error and; 4) The test masses are in unrestrained free fall. I will provide an overview of the project with an emphasis on the features that enable a quick experiment.
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Authors
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Robert Reasenberg
SAO/CfA
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Eiichi Hirose
SAO/CfA
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Enrico Lorenzini
U. Padova, Italy
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Biju Patla
SAO/CFA, SAO/CfA
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James Phillips
SAO/CfA, SAO/CFA
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Eugeniu Popescu
SAO/CfA
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Emanuele Rocco
SAO/CfA
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Rajesh Thapa
SAO/CfA