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RUI: Parallel-Plate Torsion Pendulum for Investigations of Short-range Gravitational Physics

RUI：用于短程引力物理研究的平行板扭摆

基本信息

批准号：
1065697
负责人：
Charles Hoyle
金额：
$ 11.72万
依托单位：
Humboldt State University Foundation
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2011
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2011-08-01 至 2014-07-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1065697&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
RUI Parallel Plate Torsion Pendulum

项目摘要

The goal of this project is to test the Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP) of General Relativity and the gravitational inverse-square law (ISL) at unprecedented levels. The WEP will be tested at the millimeter scale and the ISL will be probed over sub-millimeter distances with unprecedented sensitivity. Both tests will use a novel parallel-plate torsion pendulum design. Since 1999, experimental limits have improved dramatically so that the ISL has proven valid over distances down to approximately 55 micrometers. A dedicated test of the WEP, however, has not been performed below the millimeter scale. The initial work under this award will probe the WEP at the millimeter scale and below. This measurement will be accomplished with a novel parallel-plate torsion pendulum design that will provide an essentially null experiment and use multiple composition dipole combinations. Subsequently, a more difficult test of the gravitational ISL will be pursued by decreasing the pendulum/attractor mass separation to 100 micrometers. This configuration will probe the ISL down to distances of approximately 20 micrometers.In recent years the study of the gravitational interaction at short (sub-millimeter) distance scales has gained much attention due in a large part to unification scenarios arising in string or M-theory that require more than three spatial dimensions, some of which could be macroscopic. Short-range tests of gravity and the WEP also investigate possible proposed mechanisms that endeavor to explain the accelerated expansion of the universe, generally attributed to Dark Energy. Finally, such tests present the possibility to search for hypothetical new interactions due to exotic particles or other phenomena. Many scenarios concerning these effects predict a violation of the WEP or gravitational ISL at short distances. The project will be performed in the Gravitational Physics Laboratory at Humboldt State University, the only arena in which undergraduate physics students at Humboldt State University may obtain hands-on research experience. This award provides continued support for the laboratory, undergraduate stipends, equipment improvements, and support for dissemination of results including student presentations. Collaboration with the University of Washington Eöt-Wash group will expedite machining projects as well as allow one undergraduate per year from Humboldt State to gain valuable experience working with the group as an undergraduate research assistant during the summer months. In addition, software tools developed for data acquisition and analysis will be transferrable to educational opportunities in the upper division classroom.

该项目的目标是在前所未有的水平上测试广义相对论的弱等效原理（WEP）和引力平方反比定律（ISL）。WEP将在毫米尺度上进行测试，ISL将以前所未有的灵敏度在亚毫米距离上进行探测。这两项测试都将使用一种新颖的平行板扭摆设计。自1999年以来，实验极限已大大提高，因此ISL已被证明在低至约55微米的距离上有效。然而，WEP的专门测试尚未在毫米级以下进行。该奖项下的初步工作将在毫米级及以下探测WEP。这种测量将完成一个新的平行板扭摆设计，将提供一个基本上为零的实验，并使用多个组成偶极组合。随后，将通过将摆/吸引子质量分离减小到100微米来进行重力ISL的更困难的测试。近年来，由于弦理论或M理论中出现的统一方案需要三维以上的空间维度，其中一些可能是宏观的，因此在短（亚毫米）距离尺度上的引力相互作用的研究受到了极大的关注。短程引力测试和WEP也研究了可能的机制，奋进解释宇宙的加速膨胀，通常归因于暗能量。最后，这种测试提供了寻找由于外来粒子或其他现象而产生的假设的新相互作用的可能性。关于这些影响的许多情景预测在短距离内违反WEP或引力ISL。该项目将在洪堡州立大学的引力物理实验室进行，这是洪堡州立大学的物理学本科生可以获得实践研究经验的唯一竞技场。该奖项为实验室，本科生津贴，设备改进提供了持续的支持，并支持包括学生演示在内的结果传播。与华盛顿大学Eöt-Wash小组的合作将加快机械加工项目的进度，并允许每年一名来自洪堡州立大学的本科生在夏季作为本科生研究助理与该小组合作，获得宝贵的经验。此外，为数据采集和分析开发的软件工具将可转移到高年级教室的教育机会。