Testing Gravity Using Millimeter Accuracy Data from APOLLO

使用 APOLLO 的毫米级精度数据测试重力

• 批准号: 1708215
• 负责人: Thomas Murphy
• 金额: $ 69.02万
• 依托单位: University of California-San Diego
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-02-15 至 2023-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1708215&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Testing; Gravity; Using; Millimeter; Accuracy

Gravity, the most evident force of nature, is in fact the weakest of the fundamental forces, and consequently the most poorly tested. Einstein's general relativity, which is currently our best description of gravity, is fundamentally incompatible with quantum mechanics. It is therefore imperative that we subject gravity to the most stringent tests available. Lunar laser ranging (LLR), in which short laser pulses launched from a telescope are bounced off reflectors placed on the moon by U.S. astronauts and Soviet landers, has for decades produced some of the leading tests of gravity by mapping the shape of the lunar orbit to high precision. Since 2006, an experiment called APOLLO (the Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation) has been collecting the best LLR data in the world, in terms of both data volume and precision. In 2016, an upgrade allowed APOLLO to guarantee accuracy at the millimeter level - the first time this capability has existed anywhere. This project will capitalize on this new capability. Besides its fundamental impact to all areas of cosmology, this project has a strong footprint in training students and in communicating the excitement of science to the public.This effort seeks to collect the first-ever set of millimeter-accurate LLR data using APOLLO. Besides continuing to collect the most accurate LLR data ever obtained, this involves developing techniques to calibrate APOLLO range data against the newly-installed absolute calibration system and to characterize APOLLO performance and systematic errors. Additionally, site geodetic measurements will be collected by an on-site superconducting gravimeter and a nearby global positioning system station, incorporating these data into the LLR analysis in order to constrain motion of the ground.

重力，最明显的自然力，实际上是最弱的基本力，因此也是最不容易检验的。爱因斯坦的广义相对论是目前我们对引力的最佳描述，但它与量子力学从根本上是不相容的。因此，我们必须对现有的最严格的测试进行重力测试。月球激光测距(LLR)是指从望远镜发射的短激光脉冲从美国宇航员和苏联登陆者放置在月球上的反射器上反弹。几十年来，通过高精度绘制月球轨道的形状，月球激光测距一直在进行一些领先的重力测试。自2006年以来，一项名为阿波罗(阿帕奇点观测月球激光测距操作)的实验一直在收集世界上最好的LLR数据，无论是数据量还是精度。2016年，一次升级使阿波罗能够保证毫米级的精度--这是世界上第一次存在这种能力。该项目将利用这一新能力。除了它对宇宙学所有领域的根本影响，这个项目在培训学生和向公众传播科学的兴奋方面也有很大的影响。这项努力试图利用阿波罗收集第一组毫米精度的LLR数据。除了继续收集迄今获得的最准确的LLR数据外，这还包括开发技术，根据新安装的绝对校准系统校准阿波罗距离数据，并表征阿波罗的性能和系统误差。此外，现场大地测量将由现场超导重力仪和附近的全球定位系统站收集，将这些数据纳入LLR分析，以限制地面运动。