The new lunar ephemeris INPOP17a and its application to fundamental physics

TL;DR

The paper introduces the new INPOP17a lunar ephemeris, derived from extensive LLR data, and uses it to test fundamental physics principles, confirming no violation of the equivalence principle at high precision.

Contribution

It presents the INPOP17a lunar ephemeris, incorporating recent IR LLR data, and applies it to fundamental physics tests, including the universality of free fall.

Findings

No violation of the equivalence principle at the 10-14 level.

Incorporation of 2 years of IR LLR data improves ephemeris accuracy.

Provides a new interpretation within dilaton theories.

Abstract

We present here the new INPOP lunar ephemeris, INPOP17a. This ephemeris is obtained through the numerical integration of the equations of motion and of rotation of the Moon, fitted over 48 years of Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) data. We also include the 2 years of infrared (IR) LLR data acquired at the Grasse station between 2015 and 2017. Tests of the universality of free fall are performed. We find no violation of the principle of equivalence at the 10-14 level. A new interpretation in the frame of dilaton theories is also proposed.