Equivalence Principle and Bound Kinetic Energy

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the internal kinetic energy of bound matter affects tests of the Einstein equivalence principle, providing new constraints on violations for matter and antimatter through theoretical and computational analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a method to infer limits on equivalence principle violations in antimatter from normal matter tests using the standard model extension framework.

Findings

Constraints on equivalence principle violations are between 10^{-6} and 10^{-8}.

Bound kinetic energy estimates are obtained for various atomic species.

Existing and planned experiments are surveyed for their sensitivities.

Abstract

We consider the role of the internal kinetic energy of bound systems of matter in tests of the Einstein equivalence principle. Using the gravitational sector of the standard model extension, we show that stringent limits on equivalence principle violations in antimatter can be indirectly obtained from tests using bound systems of normal matter. We estimate the bound kinetic energy of nucleons in a range of light atomic species using Green's function Monte Carlo calculations, and for heavier species using a Woods-Saxon model. We survey the sensitivities of existing and planned experimental tests of the equivalence principle, and report new constraints at the level of between a few parts in $10^{6}$ and parts in $10^{8}$ on violations of the equivalence principle for matter and antimatter.