Proposed optical test of metric gravitation theories Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • An optical test of the metric theories of gravitation which employs a ring laser interferometer in an earthbound laboratory is suggested and analyzed. The proposed test would be sensitive to the presence of a preferred frame of the universe and to the geodetic and Lense-Thirring (frame-dragging) rotations of the local inertial frames relative to fixed stars. The frequency difference of the counterpropagating beams in a Sagnac-type experiment is determined within the framework of the parametrized post-Newtonian formalism. The precision with which the various parameters involved in the expression for the frequency difference can be measured is discussed. 1981 The American Physical Society.

published proceedings

  • Physical Review A

author list (cited authors)

  • Scully, M. O., Zubairy, M. S., & Haugan, M. P.

citation count

  • 72

complete list of authors

  • Scully, MO||Zubairy, MS||Haugan, MP

publication date

  • October 1981