The impact of the new CHAMP and GRACE Earth gravity models on the measurement of the general relativistic Lense--Thirring effect with the LAGEOS and LAGEOS II satellites

TL;DR

This paper discusses how new CHAMP and GRACE Earth gravity models can improve the measurement accuracy of the Lense-Thirring effect using LAGEOS satellites, addressing systematic errors and reliability.

Contribution

It introduces the potential improvements in measuring the Lense-Thirring effect by utilizing updated Earth gravity models from CHAMP and GRACE missions.

Findings

Enhanced accuracy in Lense-Thirring measurement estimates.

Reduced systematic errors with new gravity models.

Better reliability in experimental tests of general relativity.

Abstract

Among the effects predicted by the General Theory of Relativity for the orbital motion of a test particle, the post-Newtonian gravitomagnetic Lense-Thirring effect is very interesting and, up to now, there is not yet an undisputable experimental direct test of it. To date, the data analysis of the orbits of the existing geodetic LAGEOS and LAGEOS II satellites has yielded a test of the Lense-Thirring effect with a claimed accuracy of 20%-30%. According to some scientists such estimates could be optimistic. Here we wish to discuss the improvements obtainable in this measurement, in terms of reliability of the evaluation of the systematic error and reduction of its magnitude, due to the new CHAMP and GRACE Earth gravity models.