A nonmetric theory of gravity

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 1640017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Tou Ni

A nonmetric theory of gravity is presented, which agrees with all experiments to date. It possesses a Lagrangian-based nonmetric (i.e. nonminimum) coupling between electromagnetism and gravity which has complete continuous-coordinate-transformation symmetry but violates parity and time-reversal-invariance. The theory predicts the universality of free fall for test bodies, i.e. it obeys the Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP). But due to the nonmetrical coupling between electromagnetism and gravity, it violates the Einstein Equivalence Principle (EEP). Hence, this theory disproves the conjecture due to Schiff which states that any gravitation theory that obeys the WEP must also, unavoidably, obey the EEP. Further examination of the empirical status implications of the EEP is therefore urged.

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 1242016
Author(s):  
C. S. UNNIKRISHNAN ◽  
G. T. GILLIES

A significant question in experimental gravity is the nature of free fall of antiparticles under gravity and elaborate preparations are underway to directly test this with cold antihydrogen. Earlier, the Shapiro delay of supernova 1987A neutrinos was interpreted as testing the weak equivalence principle (WEP). We establish the surprising result that the Shapiro delay of relativistic particles does not test WEP for intrinsic properties or quantum numbers of particles or antiparticles. This is because essentially the entire gravitational mass of the relativistic neutrinos is contributed by kinetic energy, diluting to insignificance any EP violating contribution from intrinsic properties, by the relativistic factor. The crucial message here is that a true test of the WEP involving intrinsic properties of matter or antimatter — the foundation of relativistic gravity — necessarily requires nonrelativistic "cold" matter and antimatter.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S261) ◽  
pp. 423-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meike List ◽  
Hanns Selig ◽  
Stefanie Bremer ◽  
Claus Lämmerzahl

AbstractMICROSCOPE is a ESA/CNES space mission for testing the validity of the weak equivalence principle. The mission's goal is to determine the Eötvös parameter η with an accuracy of 10−15. The French space agency CNES is responsible for designing the satellite which is developed and produced within the Myriade series. The satellite's payload T–SAGE (Twin Space Accelerometer for Gravitation Experimentation) consists of two high–precision capacitive differential accelerometers and is developed and built by the French institute ONERA.As a member of the MICROSCOPE performance team, the German department ZARM performs free fall tests of the MICROSCOPE differential accelerometers at the Bremen drop tower. The project's concepts and current results of the free fall tests are shortly presented.


1998 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 4146-4151 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Iafolla ◽  
S. Nozzoli ◽  
E. C. Lorenzini ◽  
V. Milyukov

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (34) ◽  
pp. 1750185
Author(s):  
Antonio Accioly ◽  
Wallace Herdy

As is well known, the deflection of any particle by a gravitational field within the context of Einstein’s general relativity — which is a geometrical theory — is, of course, nondispersive. Nevertheless, as we shall show in this paper, the mentioned result will change totally if the bending is analyzed — at the tree level — in the framework of higher-order gravity. Indeed, to first order, the deflection angle corresponding to the scattering of different quantum particles by the gravitational field mentioned above is not only spin dependent, it is also dispersive (energy-dependent). Consequently, it violates the classical equivalence principle (universality of free fall, or equality of inertial and gravitational masses) which is a nonlocal principle. However, contrary to popular belief, it is in agreement with the weak equivalence principle which is nothing but a statement about purely local effects. It is worthy of note that the weak equivalence principle encompasses the classical equivalence principle locally. We also show that the claim that there exists an incompatibility between quantum mechanics and the weak equivalence principle, is incorrect.


Author(s):  
D. P. van der Werf ◽  

The classical Weak Equivalence Principle has not yet been tested using antimatter in matter gravitational fields. The GBAR (Gravitational Behaviour of Antihydrogen at Rest) experiment, recently approved by CERN, proposes to measure the free-fall acceleration of antihydrogen. In this experiment, positive antihydrogen ions will be produced, and subsequently cooled down using laser cooled Be + ions. Then, when a temperature of around 20 μK has been reached, the excess positron will be detached and the free-fall time will be measured using the antiproton annihilation products. An overview of the experiment will be given together with its present status.


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