中国物理B ›› 2018, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (8): 80401-080401.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/27/8/080401

• SPECIAL TOPIC—Recent advances in thermoelectric materials and devices • 上一篇    下一篇

Concept study of measuring gravitational constant using superconducting gravity gradiometer

Xing Bian(边星), Ho Jung Paik, Martin Vol Moody   

  1. 1 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    2 Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China;
    3 Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
  • 收稿日期:2018-04-20 修回日期:2018-04-26 出版日期:2018-08-05 发布日期:2018-08-05
  • 通讯作者: Xing Bian E-mail:ciahpu@gmail.com

Concept study of measuring gravitational constant using superconducting gravity gradiometer

Xing Bian(边星)1,2, Ho Jung Paik2, Martin Vol Moody3   

  1. 1 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    2 Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China;
    3 Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
  • Received:2018-04-20 Revised:2018-04-26 Online:2018-08-05 Published:2018-08-05
  • Contact: Xing Bian E-mail:ciahpu@gmail.com

摘要:

Newton's gravitational constant G is the least known fundamental constant of nature. Since Cavendish made the first measurement of G with a torsion balance over two hundred years ago, the best results of G have been obtained by using torsion balances. However, the uncorrected anelasticity of torsion fibers makes the results questionable. We present a new method of G measurement by using a superconducting gravity gradiometer constructed with levitated test masses, which is free from the irregularities of mechanical suspension. The superconducting gravity gradiometer is rotated to generate a centrifugal acceleration that nulls the gravity field of the source mass, forming an artificial planetary system. This experiment has a potential accuracy of G better than 10 ppm.

关键词: gravitational constant, superconducting gravity gradiometer, artificial planetary system

Abstract:

Newton's gravitational constant G is the least known fundamental constant of nature. Since Cavendish made the first measurement of G with a torsion balance over two hundred years ago, the best results of G have been obtained by using torsion balances. However, the uncorrected anelasticity of torsion fibers makes the results questionable. We present a new method of G measurement by using a superconducting gravity gradiometer constructed with levitated test masses, which is free from the irregularities of mechanical suspension. The superconducting gravity gradiometer is rotated to generate a centrifugal acceleration that nulls the gravity field of the source mass, forming an artificial planetary system. This experiment has a potential accuracy of G better than 10 ppm.

Key words: gravitational constant, superconducting gravity gradiometer, artificial planetary system

中图分类号:  (Experimental studies of gravity)

  • 04.80.-y
84.71.Ba (Superconducting magnets; magnetic levitation devices) 85.25.Dq (Superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs))