The Search for Non-Newtonian Gravity

by Fischbach, Ephraim; Talmadge, Carrick L.

• ISBN13: 9780387984902
• ISBN10: 0387984909
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-10-01
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

Newton's inverse-square law of gravitation has been one of the cornerstones of physics ever since it was proposed 300 years ago. One of its most well known features is the prediction that all objects fall in a gravitational field with the same acceleration. This observation, in the form of the Equivalence Principle, is a fundamental assumption of Einstein's General Relativity Theory. This book traces the history of attempts to test the predictions of Newtonian Gravity, and describes in detail recent experimental efforts to verify both the inverse-square law and the Equivalence Principle. Interest in these questions have increased in recent years, as it has become recognized that deviations from Newtonian gravity could be a signal for a new fundamental force in nature. This is the first book devoted entirely to this subject, and will be useful to both graduate students and researchers interested in this field. This book describes in detail the ideas that underlie searches for deviations from the predictions of Newtonian gravity, focusing on macroscopic tests, since the question of gravitational effects in quantum systems would warrant a separate work. A historical development is combined with detailed technical discussions of the theoretical ideas and experimental results. A comprehensive bibliography with approximately 450 entries is provided.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii	(6)
List of Tables	xiii	(2)
List of Figures	xv
1 Introduction	1	(10)
2 Phenomenological Description of Non-Newtonian Gravity	11	(54)
2.1 Introduction	11	(8)
2.2 Details of the Non-Newtonian Charge	19	(13)
2.3 Phenomenology of Extended Sources	32	(10)
2.4 Derivation of the Finite-Size Effect	42	(2)
2.5 Non-Yukawa Forms of the Non-Newtonian Interaction	44	(6)
2.6 Lorentz-Noninvariance and the Eotvos Experiment	50	(1)
2.7 Neutrino-Exchange Forces	51	(10)
2.8 Graphical Representation of Experimental Constraints	61	(4)
3 Searches for Composition-Independent Effects	65	(58)
3.1 Introduction	65	(3)
3.2 Laboratory Cavendish Tests of the Inverse-Square Law	68	(20)
3.3 Tests of Laplace's Equation	88	(2)
3.4 Mine and Borehole Experiments	90	(7)
3.5 Ocean Experiments	97	(5)
3.6 Lake Experiments	102	(5)
3.7 Tower Gravity Experiments	107	(4)
3.8 Planetary Constraints	111	(4)
3.9 Constraints from the Earth-LAGEOS-Lunar System	115	(4)
3.10 Experiments Using Gravity-Wave Detectors	119	(4)
4 Searches for Composition-Dependent Effects	123	(66)
4.1 Introduction	123	(1)
4.2 Torsion Balance Experiments	124	(39)
4.3 Galileo (Free-Fall) Experiments	163	(4)
4.4 Beam Balance Experiments	167	(2)
4.5 Floating-Ball Experiments	169	(9)
4.6 Experiments Using Gravity-Wave Detectors	178	(2)
4.7 Multipole Radiation from Massive Fields	180	(4)
4.8 The STEP Experiment	184	(1)
4.9 Summary	185	(4)
5 Gravitational Properties of Antimatter	189	(8)
6 Effects of External Forces in the Kaon System	197	(10)
6.1 Energy Dependence of the Kaon Parameters	197	(6)
6.2 Decays into Hyperphotons	203	(4)
7 Spin-Dependent Intermediate-Range Forces	207	(6)
8 Epilogue	213	(6)
8.1 Status of Experiments Suggesting a Fifth Force	213	(3)
8.2 Possibility of an Electromagnetic Fifth Force	216	(1)
8.3 Astrophysical Constraints on New Forces	217	(1)
8.4 Future Space-Based Experiments	218	(1)
A Gravity-Gradient Couplings to Torsion Pendants	219	(10)
A.1 Theoretical Formalism	219	(4)
A.2 Gravity Couplings to Various Experimental Systems	223	(6)
B Luther-Towler Cavendish Experiment	229	(6)
B.1 Theoretical Formalism	229	(4)
B.2 Discussion of Results	233	(2)
C The Earth's Gravity Field	235	(12)
C.1 Formulation of the Model	235	(8)
C.2 Applications of the Earth Model	243	(3)
C.3 Discussion	246	(1)
Bibliography	247	(40)
Author Index	287	(10)
Subject Index	297