Satellite Laser Ranging and General Relativity measurements in the field of the Earth: state of the art and perspectives

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in satellite laser ranging techniques for testing general relativity, including new models for non-gravitational perturbations and precise measurements of relativistic effects like the Lense-Thirring precession.

Contribution

It introduces improved models for satellite perturbations and presents new, precise measurements of relativistic effects using laser tracking of Earth satellites.

Findings

Enhanced models for non-gravitational satellite perturbations.

Precise measurement of the Lense-Thirring precession.

Summary of constraints on Earth's gravitational field from laser ranging.

Abstract

Recent results of the LARASE research program in terms of models improvements and relativistic measurements are presented. In particular, the results regarding the development of new models for the non-gravitational perturbations that affect the orbit of the LAGEOS and LARES satellites are described and discussed. These are subtle and complex effects that need a deep knowledge of the structure of the satellite and of its physical characteristics in order to be correctly accounted for. In the field of gravitational measurements, we introduce a new and precise measurement of the relativistic Lense-Thirring precession. The role of the errors related to the knowledge of the gravitational field of the Earth in this kind of measurements is also discussed. Finally, the main results in relativistic measurements and constraints obtained during the last few years by means of the laser tracking of passive satellites are summarized. The key role of the Satellite Laser Ranging technique in these activities is highlighted, together with the sinergy it produces between space geodesy and fundamental physics measurements.