Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Publication status | Published - 10 Aug 1998 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
The fitting of 28 years of lunar laser ranging data for a possible range signal indicating an equivalence principle-violating difference in the gravitational acceleration rate of Earth and the Moon toward the Sun is performed and then examined, both analytically and by computer simulations. The EP-violating signal is synodic, being predominately proportional to (Formula presented) (Formula presented) is the synodic phase). Because LLR data do not uniformly sample the synodic month cycle, almost any hypothesis of a specific post-model synodic range signal responds strongly and with bias to the presence of most any other un-modeled synodic range effect. Since the physical and operational structure of the LLR experiment is of synodic periodicity, many of its modeling problems tend to be synodic: so we have created a synodic phase, bin-averaged presentation of the experiment’s post-fit range residuals. By this technique the entire structure of the synodic modeling inadequacies can be detected without preconceptions or hypotheses as to their particular form. A synodic post-model residual signal of characteristic size 1 cm is found in the data. An observation “worth” function has been found which quantifies the potency of each additional observation for reducing the rms noise uncertainty in the fit of the (Formula presented) amplitude. It strongly indicates that LLR observations should, for some time into the future, preferentially be made on the new moon side of the quarter moon phase.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Nuclear and High Energy Physics
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)
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In: Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, Vol. 58, No. 6, 10.08.1998.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Lunar laser ranging and the equivalence principle signal
AU - Müller, J.
AU - Nordtvedt, K. L.
PY - 1998/8/10
Y1 - 1998/8/10
N2 - The fitting of 28 years of lunar laser ranging data for a possible range signal indicating an equivalence principle-violating difference in the gravitational acceleration rate of Earth and the Moon toward the Sun is performed and then examined, both analytically and by computer simulations. The EP-violating signal is synodic, being predominately proportional to (Formula presented) (Formula presented) is the synodic phase). Because LLR data do not uniformly sample the synodic month cycle, almost any hypothesis of a specific post-model synodic range signal responds strongly and with bias to the presence of most any other un-modeled synodic range effect. Since the physical and operational structure of the LLR experiment is of synodic periodicity, many of its modeling problems tend to be synodic: so we have created a synodic phase, bin-averaged presentation of the experiment’s post-fit range residuals. By this technique the entire structure of the synodic modeling inadequacies can be detected without preconceptions or hypotheses as to their particular form. A synodic post-model residual signal of characteristic size 1 cm is found in the data. An observation “worth” function has been found which quantifies the potency of each additional observation for reducing the rms noise uncertainty in the fit of the (Formula presented) amplitude. It strongly indicates that LLR observations should, for some time into the future, preferentially be made on the new moon side of the quarter moon phase.
AB - The fitting of 28 years of lunar laser ranging data for a possible range signal indicating an equivalence principle-violating difference in the gravitational acceleration rate of Earth and the Moon toward the Sun is performed and then examined, both analytically and by computer simulations. The EP-violating signal is synodic, being predominately proportional to (Formula presented) (Formula presented) is the synodic phase). Because LLR data do not uniformly sample the synodic month cycle, almost any hypothesis of a specific post-model synodic range signal responds strongly and with bias to the presence of most any other un-modeled synodic range effect. Since the physical and operational structure of the LLR experiment is of synodic periodicity, many of its modeling problems tend to be synodic: so we have created a synodic phase, bin-averaged presentation of the experiment’s post-fit range residuals. By this technique the entire structure of the synodic modeling inadequacies can be detected without preconceptions or hypotheses as to their particular form. A synodic post-model residual signal of characteristic size 1 cm is found in the data. An observation “worth” function has been found which quantifies the potency of each additional observation for reducing the rms noise uncertainty in the fit of the (Formula presented) amplitude. It strongly indicates that LLR observations should, for some time into the future, preferentially be made on the new moon side of the quarter moon phase.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0542371335&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevD.58.062001
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevD.58.062001
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0542371335
VL - 58
JO - Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology
JF - Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology
SN - 1550-7998
IS - 6
ER -