Concept study of measuring gravitational constant using superconducting gravity gradiometer
Xing Bian(边星)1,2, Ho Jung Paik2, Martin Vol Moody3
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
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.
Xing Bian(边星), Ho Jung Paik, Martin Vol Moody Concept study of measuring gravitational constant using superconducting gravity gradiometer 2018 Chin. Phys. B 27 080401
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