Tests of Newtonian Gravitation and the Equivalence Principle and Cryogenic Torsion Pendulum Development

牛顿万有引力和等效原理的试验及低温扭摆的研制

• 批准号: 0108937
• 负责人: Riley Newman
• 金额: $ 74.23万
• 依托单位: University of California-Irvine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2001
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2001-07-01 至 2005-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0108937&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Tests; Newtonian; Gravitation; Equivalence; Principle

A program of laboratory experiments in gravitation is to be continued and expanded, in parallel with continued development of the cryogenic torsion pendulum as a general tool for research in gravitational physics. Much of this work will be done in collaboration with the gravitational physics group of Professor Paul Boynton at the University of Washington. Research to be conducted includes:Completion in the first year of a precision measurement of the gravitational constant G, withtarget accuracy of 15 ppm.Jointly with Professor Boynton's group, a test of the inverse square distance dependence of the gravitational force for mass separation on the order of 15 centimeters.Jointly with Boynton's group, tests of the equivalence principle over various distance ranges,for gravitational field sources which include laboratory masses, a nearby mountain, and thesun.These projects will be conducted in an underground laboratory that has been prepared with support from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in a former Nike missile bunker on an isolated environmental preserve nearRichland, Washington. In conjunction with these projects, the performance of the cryogenic torsionpendulum will be progressively improved through development and refinement of seismic isolation, tilt control, temperature control, and fiber choice and preparation techniques. The cryogenic torsion pendulum being developed is of potential value to any research in gravitation or other fields which requires the measurement of extremely small slowly varying forces.This project provides research experience and training in a variety of widely applicable technologies, to undergraduate and graduate students as well as to a postdoctoral researcher.

引力实验室实验计划将继续并扩大，同时继续开发低温扭摆作为引力物理学研究的通用工具。 这项工作的大部分将与华盛顿大学保罗·博因顿教授的引力物理小组合作完成。 即将开展的研究包括：第一年完成万有引力常数G的精密测量，目标精度为15 ppm。与Boynton教授课题组联合，测试质量分离引力对距离的平方反比依赖性。 15厘米量级。与博因顿小组合作，对不同距离范围内的引力场源（包括实验室质量、附近的物体）的等效原理进行了测试这些项目将在一个地下实验室中进行，该实验室是在太平洋西北国家实验室的支持下在华盛顿州里奇兰附近一个孤立的环境保护区的前耐克导弹掩体中准备的。 结合这些项目，低温扭摆的性能将通过隔震、倾斜控制、温度控制以及纤维选择和制备技术的开发和完善而逐步提高。 正在开发的低温扭摆对于引力或其他需要测量极小缓慢变化力的领域的研究具有潜在价值。该项目为本科生和研究生提供各种广泛适用技术的研究经验和培训以及博士后研究员。