On Possible Measurement of Gravitational Interaction Parameters on Board a Satellite

TL;DR

This paper discusses the SEE method for measuring gravitational parameters and potential new physics on a satellite, demonstrating it can significantly improve current measurement precision.

Contribution

It develops the SEE method for on-board measurement of gravitational constants, equivalence principle violation, and fifth force parameters with numerical simulations and error analysis.

Findings

Potential to improve measurement accuracy of G, α, and η by at least two orders of magnitude.

Numerical simulations of particle trajectories near a heavy mass.

Analysis of sources of error in the measurement process.

Abstract

The recently suggested SEE (Satellite Energy Exchange) method of measuring the gravitational constant $G$, possible equivalence principle violation (measured by the E\"{o}tv\"{o}s parameter $\eta$) and the hypothetic 5th force parameters $\alpha$ and $\lambda$ on board a drag-free Earth's satellite is discussed and further developed. Various particle trajectories near a heavy ball are numerically simulated. Some basic sources of error are analysed. The $G$ measurement procedure is modelled by noise insertion to a ``true'' trajectory. It is concluded that the present knowledge of $G, \alpha$ (for $\lambda \geq 1$ m) and $\eta$ can be improved by at least two orders of magnitude.