# Relativistic gravity theory and related tests with a Mercury orbiter mission

 dc.contributor.author Turyshev, Slava en_US dc.contributor.author Anderson, John en_US dc.contributor.author Hellings, Ronald en_US dc.date.accessioned 2006-07-14T18:29:23Z en_US dc.date.available 2006-07-14T18:29:23Z en_US dc.date.issued 1996-06-13 en_US dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/1850/2112 en_US dc.description Also archived at: arXiv:gr-qc/9606028 v1 13 Jun 1996 en_US dc.description.abstract Due to its relatively large eccentricity and proximity to the Sun, Mercury's orbital motion provides one of the best solar-system tests of relativistic gravity. We emphasize the number of feasible relativistic gravity tests that can be performed within the context of the parameterized weak field and slow motion approximation - a usefulframework for testing modern gravitational theories in the solar system. We discuss a new approximation method, which includes two Eddington parameters $(\gamma,\beta)$, proposed for construction of the relativistic equations of motion of extended bodies. Within the present accuracy of radio measurements, we discuss the generalized Fermi-normal-like proper reference frame which is defined in the immediate vicinity of the extended compact bodies. Based on the Hermean-centric equations of motion of the spacecraft around the planet Mercury, we suggest a new test of the Strong Equivalence Principle. The corresponding experiment could be performed with the future {\it Mercury Orbiter} mission scheduled by the European Space Agency ({\small ESA}) for launch between 2006 and 2016. We discuss other relativistic effects including the perihelion advance, redshift and geodetic precession of the orbiter's orbital plane about Mercury. (Refer to PDF file for exact formulas.) en_US dc.description.sponsorship SGT acknowledges the support by the National Research Council of the USA. The research described in this paper was carried out by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, and was sponsored by the Ultraviolet, Visible, and Gravitational Astrophysics Research and Analysis Program through an agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. en_US dc.format.extent 401220 bytes en_US dc.format.mimetype application/pdf en_US dc.language.iso en_US en_US dc.relation RIT Scholars content from RIT Digital Media Library has moved from http://ritdml.rit.edu/handle/1850/2112 to RIT Scholar Works http://scholarworks.rit.edu/article/1553, please update your feeds & links! dc.subject Gravitational physics en_US dc.subject Mercury en_US dc.subject Relativistic gravity en_US dc.title Relativistic gravity theory and related tests with a Mercury orbiter mission en_US dc.type Article en_US

## Files in this item

Files Size Format View
JAndersonArticle06-13-1996.pdf 401.2Kb PDF View/Open