Mars and frame-dragging: Study for a dedicated mission

DOI10.1007/S10714-008-0704-7zbMATH Open1177.83108arXiv0803.1286OpenAlexW2047314481MaRDI QIDQ1035982FDOQ1035982

Authors: L. Iorio 

Publication date: 4 November 2009

Published in: General Relativity and Gravitation (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: In this paper we preliminarily explore the possibility of designing a dedicated satellite-based mission to measure the general relativistic gravitomagnetic Lense-Thirring effect in the gravitational field of Mars. The focus is on the systematic error induced by the multipolar expansion of the areopotential and on possible strategies to reduce it. It turns out that the major sources of bias are the Mars'equatorial radius R and the even zonal harmonics J_L, L = 2,4,6... of the areopotential. An optimal solution, in principle, consists of using two probes at high-altitudes (aapprox 9500-9600 km) and different inclinations, and suitably combining their nodes in order to entirely cancel out the bias due to delta R. The remaining uncancelled mismodelled terms due to delta J_L, L = 2,4,6,... would induce a bias lesssim 1%, according to the present-day MGS95J gravity model, over a wide range of admissible values of the inclinations. The Lense-Thirring out-of-plane shifts of the two probes would amount to about 10 cm yr^-1.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/0803.1286

Recommendations

• A note on the evidence of the gravitomagnetic field of Mars
• Will the recently approved LARES mission be able to measure the lense-thirring effect at \(1\%\)?
• Phenomenology of the lense-thirring effect in the solar system
• On the possibility of measuring the Lense–Thirring effect with a LAGEOS–LAGEOS II–OPTIS mission
• The impact of the new Earth gravity models on the measurement of the Lense--Thirring effect

zbMATH Keywords

Marsexperimental tests of gravitational theoriesgravitational fieldslunar, planetary, and deep-space probes

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Equations of motion in general relativity and gravitational theory (83C10) Galactic and stellar dynamics (85A05) Relativistic gravitational theories other than Einstein's, including asymmetric field theories (83D05) Observational and experimental questions in relativity and gravitational theory (83B05)

Cites Work

• Theory of satellite geodesy. Applications of satellites to geodesy.
• A note on the evidence of the gravitomagnetic field of Mars

Cited In (7)

• Analysis and comparison of different estimations of Mars' polar motion
• The Great Martian Catastrophe and how Tycho (Re-)fixed it
• Mars Express orbit design evolution
• Phenomenology of the lense-thirring effect in the solar system
• Effects of standard and modified gravity on interplanetary ranges
• Beyond gravitomagnetism with applications to Mercury’s perihelion advance and the bending of light
• A note on the evidence of the gravitomagnetic field of Mars

This page was built for publication: Mars and frame-dragging: Study for a dedicated mission

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q1035982)