# The solar test of the equivalence principle

 Redirect: RIT Scholars content from RIT Digital Media Library has moved from http://ritdml.rit.edu/handle/1850/2114 to RIT Scholar Works http://scholarworks.rit.edu/article/1498, please update your feeds & links! Title: The solar test of the equivalence principle Author: Anderson, John; Gross, Mark; Nordtvedt, Kenneth; Turyshev, Slava Abstract: The Earth, Mars, Sun, Jupiter system allows for a sensitive test of the strong equivalence principle (SEP) which is qualitatively different from that provided by Lunar Laser Ranging. Using analytic and numerical methods we demonstrate that Earth-Mars ranging can provide a useful estimate of the SEP parameter $\eta$. Two estimates of the predicted accuracy are derived and quoted, one based on conventional covariance analysis, and another (called modified worst case'' analysis) which assumes that systematic errors dominate the experiment. If future Mars missions provide ranging measurements with an accuracy of $\sigma$ meters, after ten years of ranging the expected accuracy for the SEP parameter $\eta$ will be of order $(1-12)\times 10^{-4}\sigma$. These ranging measurements will also provide the most accurate determination of the mass of Jupiter, independent of the SEP effect test. (Refer to PDF file for exact formulas.) Description: Also archived at: arXiv:gr-qc/9510029 v1 16 Oct 1995 Record URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1850/2114 Date: 1996-03-01

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