Satellites testing general relativity: residuals versus perturbations

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the precision of satellite laser ranging in testing general relativity, analyzing residuals to identify perturbations like thermal thrust and Earth's tides, and reports a 5% accuracy in measuring frame-dragging effects.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of residuals in satellite data to identify perturbations affecting tests of general relativity, and reports improved measurement accuracy using combined satellite data.

Findings

Thermal thrust significantly influences residuals in LAGEOS satellites.

Earth's tidal modes impact LARES satellite measurements.

Achieved 5% accuracy in frame-dragging effect measurement.

Abstract

Laser ranging satellites have proved their efficiency for high precision testing of the effect of frame-dragging, one of remarkable predictions of the General Relativity. The analysis of the randomness properties of the residuals of LAGEOS and LAGEOS 2 satellites reveals the role of the thermal thrust -- Yarkovsky effect -- on the satellite which was in the orbit for longer period (LAGEOS). We also compute Earth's tidal modes affecting the satellite LARES. The recently obtained 5\% accuracy limit reached for the frame dragging effect based on the 3.5 year data of LARES analysed together with those of LAGEOS satellites and using the Earth gravity model of GRACE satellite, is also represented.