Non-Newtonian Forces

对引力理论的实验测试预计将在限制我们对空间、时间和物质基本性质的可能扩展方面发挥越来越重要的作用。在过去的几十年里，许多实验都在寻找牛顿和爱因斯坦相互补充的引力公式的违规性。在它们各自的应用领域中还没有发现明显的偏离，但理论文献中充满了微妙的影响，可能会通过更敏感的实验来检测到。为了应对这一挑战，专门的仪器已经设计和建造，以前所未有的灵敏度搜索其中一些新物理的微弱线索。该项目的方法开发了利用低温方法减少系统测量误差和提高测量精度的新技术。已经建立了一个新的实验室设施，以提供一个超低振动环境，以便在一个原本嘈杂的世界中进行这种灵敏的测量。在这个新的实验室里，使用这种新仪器的引力实验计划现在已经准备好开始了。这项研究活动涉及年轻科学家、博士后、研究生和本科生，他们学习精密测量的艺术，并在物理科学领域发展事业。公司合作伙伴波音飞机公司、太平洋西北国家实验室所在的实验室、华盛顿大学的总部机构以及NSF都加入了努力，尽可能广泛地扩大基于这一研究计划的教育推广范围。

Experimental tests of theories of gravity are expected to play an increasingly important role in constraining possible extensions of our understanding of the fundamental nature of space, time and matter. Over the past few decades a number of experiments have searched for violations of Newton's and Einstein's complementary formulations of gravitation. Significant deviations from either have yet to be found in their respective realms of application, but the theoretical literature abounds with subtle effects that might be detected with more sensitive experiments.To meet this challenge, specialized instrumentation has been designed and constructed to search with unprecedented sensitivity for some of these faint clues to new physics. This project's approach exploits new techniques for the reduction of systematic measurement errors and improved measurement precision using cryogenic methods. A new laboratory facility has been established to provide an ultra-low-vibration environment to make possible such sensitive measurements in an otherwise noisy world. A program of gravitation experiments using this new apparatus in this new lab is now ready to begin. This research activity involves young scientists, post-docs, graduate and undergraduate students learning the art of precision measurements and developing careers in physical science. The corporate partner Boeing Airplane Company, the laboratory facility host Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the home institution the University of Washington, along with NSF, all join in an effort to extend educational outreach based on this research program as broadly as possible.