Common-View Mode Synchronization as a source of error in Measurement of Time of Flight of neutrinos at the CERN-LNGS experiment

TL;DR

This paper investigates potential synchronization errors in the CERN-LNGS neutrino time-of-flight experiment, highlighting misconceptions about GPS satellite timing and introducing a new error source in common-view clock synchronization methods.

Contribution

It clarifies misconceptions about GPS satellite synchronization and identifies a novel error source in the common-view method used in neutrino timing experiments.

Findings

Potential GPS synchronization errors affect neutrino time-of-flight measurements.

Misconceptions about GPS satellite operation are prevalent in related analyses.

A new source of error in common-view clock synchronization is identified.

Abstract

The CERN-LNGS time-of-flight experiment (of neutrinos) represents a significant challenge to the special theory of relativity and needs to be addressed either as a source of new physics, or as an un-remedied experimental error. There have been several attempts at using new physics to explain the results, while a few unpublished results exist that address the experimental errors that might lead to the same result. In particular, a recent calculation by van Elburg [2] indicates a potential flaw in the OPERA experiment [1] that represents a source of potential error, i.e., that the motion of the synchronizing GPS satellites causes the clocks to go out of synchronization. Unfortunately, there are several misconceptions about how GPS satellites work that pervade the paper. In addition, the principal contention of the paper, that the experiment is being timed by a moving clock is not substantiated in the analysis. This paper substantiates the point, as well as introduces a new source of error in the "common-view" method of synchronization of clocks.