Weight Measurements of High-Temperature Superconductors during Phase Transition in Stationary, Non-Stationary Condition and under ELF Radiation

TL;DR

This study conducted precise weight measurements of high-temperature superconductors during phase transitions, rotation, and under ELF radiation, finding no anomalies and setting new bounds on inertial effects related to superconductivity.

Contribution

It provides the first measurements of rotating YBCO superconductors and tests claims of weight reduction under ELF radiation with improved accuracy.

Findings

No weight anomalies during phase transition of YBCO and BSCCO.

No weight anomalies in rotating YBCO superconductors.

No unusual behavior under ELF radiation for BSCCO.

Abstract

There have been a number of claims in the literature about gravity shielding effects of superconductors and more recently on the weight reduction of superconductors passing through their critical temperature. We report several experiments to test the weight of superconductors under various conditions. First, we report tests on the weight of YBCO and BSCCO high temperature superconductors passing through their critical temperature. No anomaly was found within the equipment accuracy ruling out claimed anomalies by Rounds and Reiss. Our experiments extend the accuracy of previous measurements by two orders of magnitude. In addition, for the first time, the weight of a rotating YBCO superconductor was measured. Also in this case, no weight anomaly could be seen within the accuracy of the equipment used. In addition, also weight measurements of a BSCCO superconductor subjected to extremely-low-frequency (ELF) radiation have been done to test a claim of weight reduction under these conditions by De Aquino, and again, no unusual behavior was found. These measurements put new important boundaries on any inertial effect connected with superconductivity - and consequently on possible space related applications.