On the possibility of measuring the gravitomagnetic clock effect in an Earth space-based experiment

Abstract: In this paper the effect of the post-Newtonian gravitomagnetic force on the mean longitudes

l

of a pair of counter-rotating Earth artificial satellites following almost identical circular equatorial orbits is investigated. The possibility of measuring it is examined. The observable is the difference of the times required to

l

in passing from 0 to 2

p i

for both senses of motion. Such gravitomagnetic time shift, which is independent of the orbital parameters of the satellites, amounts to 5

i m e s 1 0^{- 7}

s for Earth; it is cumulative and should be measured after a sufficiently high number of revolutions. The major limiting factors are the unavoidable imperfect cancellation of the Keplerian periods, which yields a constraint of 10

^{- 2}

cm in knowing the difference between the semimajor axes

a

of the satellites, and the difference

I

of the inclinations

i

of the orbital planes which, for

i s i m 0.0 1^{c} i r c

, should be less than

0.00 6^{c} i r c

. A pair of spacecrafts endowed with a sophisticated intersatellite tracking apparatus and drag-free control down to 10

^{- 9}

cm s

^{- 2}

Hz

^{- 1 / 2}

level might allow to meet the stringent requirements posed by such a mission.

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