Time transfer functions without enhanced terms in stationary spacetime -- Application to an isolated, axisymmetric spinning body

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new perturbation method for calculating time transfer functions in stationary spacetimes, avoiding unbounded terms and enhancing computational efficiency, especially for rotating bodies like planets.

Contribution

A novel perturbation approach that computes time transfer functions without enhancement terms, applicable to stationary spacetimes with small metric deformations.

Findings

Explicit formulas for mass dipole and quadrupole moments

Efficient calculation of gravitomagnetic effects

Application to Cassini experiment simulations

Abstract

We develop a new perturbation method for determining a class of time transfer functions in a stationary spacetime when its metric is a small deformation of a background metric for which the time transfer functions are known in a closed form. The perturbation terms are expressed as line integrals along the null geodesic paths of the background metric. Unlike what happens with the other procedures proposed until now, the time transfer functions obtained in this way are completely free of unbounded terms and do not generate any enhancement in the light travel time. Our procedure proves to be very efficient when the background metric is a linearized Schwarzschild-like metric. Its application to an isolated body slowly rotating about an axis of symmetry leads to integrals which can be calculated with any symbolic computer program. Explicit expressions are obtained for the mass dipole and quadrupole moments and for the leading gravitomagnetic term induced by the spin of the body. A brief numerical discussion is given for the 2002 Cassini experiment.