Atomic clocks for astrophysical measurements |
| |
Authors: | RFC Vessot EM Mattison |
| |
Institution: | Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA |
| |
Abstract: | Recently developed atomic hydrogen masers have achieved stability well into the 10?16 domain for averaging time intervals beyond 1000 sec and future devices promise further improvements. These devices are very adaptable for space use in very high precision measurements of angle through Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and range and range-rate through Doppler techniques. Proposed space missions using these clocks will be discussed for the measurement of the sun's gravity field distribution and tests of gravitation and relativity including a search for pulsed low frequency (~0.001 Hz) gravitational waves, and orbiting VLBI stations. Estimates of system performance capability will be discussed and the accuracy capability of relativistic measurements evaluated in terms of results from the 1976 NASA/SAO spaceborne clock test of the Einstein Equivalence Principle. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录! |
|