Anomalous Fiber Optic Gyroscope Signals Observed above Spinning Rings at Low Temperature

TL;DR

This study reports a novel low-temperature phenomenon where fiber optic gyroscopes detect significant deviations correlated with spinning rings, potentially linked to low-temperature helium effects, challenging existing understanding of gyroscope behavior.

Contribution

The paper presents the first observation of anomalous gyroscope signals at cryogenic temperatures, indicating a new physical effect possibly related to low-temperature helium interactions.

Findings

Anomalous signals appear below 30 K.

Signals are proportional to ring velocity and oppose Earth's rotation.

No systematic environmental effects explain the anomaly.

Abstract

Precision fiber optic gyroscopes were mounted mechanically de-coupled above spinning rings inside a cryostat. Below a critical temperature (typically <30 K), the gyroscopes measure a significant deviation from their usual offset due to Earth's rotation. This deviation is proportional to the applied angular ring velocity with maximum signals towards lower temperatures. The anomalous gyroscope signal is about 8 orders of magnitude smaller then the applied angular ring velocity, compensating about one third of the Earth rotation offset at an angular top speed of 420 rad/s. Moreover, our data shows a parity violation as the effect appears to be dominant for rotation against the Earth's spin. No systematic effect was found to explain this effect including the magnetic environment, vibration and helium gas friction suggesting that our observation is a new low temperature phenomenon. Tests in various configurations suggest that the rotating low temperature helium may be the source of our anomalous signals.