Terrestrial vs. spaceborne, quantum vs. classical tests of the equivalence principle

TL;DR

This paper compares terrestrial and spaceborne, quantum and classical tests of the equivalence principle, highlighting their similarities and differences in probing physics beyond the Standard Model.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of different experimental approaches to test the equivalence principle, emphasizing their unique advantages and limitations.

Findings

Spaceborne and quantum tests have complementary sensitivities.

Differences exist in the types of physics constraints each test can provide.

Classical tests remain relevant alongside quantum and spaceborne experiments.

Abstract

The equivalence principle can be tested by precision experiments based on classical and quantum systems, on the ground as well as in space. In many models, these tests are mostly equivalent in their ability to constrain physics beyond the Standard Model. We mention differences that nevertheless exist between spaceborne and quantum mechanical tests and their conventional competitors.