TELEPENSOUTH project: Measurement of the Earth gravitomagnetic field in a terrestrial laboratory

TL;DR

This paper explores the feasibility of a ground-based experiment at the South Pole to directly measure Earth's gravitomagnetic field using a specialized telescope and Foucault pendulum, revisiting a previously proposed idea.

Contribution

It presents a preliminary study on the potential for a novel terrestrial measurement of Earth's gravitomagnetic field, re-analyzing a past proposal with modern considerations.

Findings

Feasibility of the experiment is assessed.

Design of the coupling between telescope and pendulum is proposed.

Potential for direct measurement of Earth's gravitomagnetic field is discussed.

Abstract

We will expose a preliminary study on the feasibility of an experiment leading to a direct measurement of the gravitomagnetic field generated by the rotational motion of the Earth. This measurement would be achieved by means of an appropriate coupling of a TELEscope and a Foucault PENdulum in a laboratory on ground, preferably at the SOUTH pole. An experiment of this kind was firstly proposed by Braginski, Polnarev and Thorne, 18 years ago, but it was never re-analyzed.