Phenomenology of the Lense-Thirring effect in the solar system
Abstract
Recent years have seen increasing efforts to directly measure some aspects of the general relativistic gravitomagnetic interaction in several astronomical scenarios in the solar system. After briefly overviewing the concept of gravitomagnetism from a theoretical point of view, we review the performed or proposed attempts to detect the Lense-Thirring effect affecting the orbital motions of natural and artificial bodies in the gravitational fields of the Sun, Earth, Mars and Jupiter. In particular, we will focus on the evaluation of the impact of several sources of systematic uncertainties of dynamical origin to realistically elucidate the present and future perspectives in directly measuring such an elusive relativistic effect.
- Publication:
-
Astrophysics and Space Science
- Pub Date:
- February 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1007/s10509-010-0489-5
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1009.3225
- Bibcode:
- 2011Ap&SS.331..351I
- Keywords:
-
- Experimental tests of gravitational theories;
- Satellite orbits;
- Harmonics of the gravity potential field;
- Ephemerides;
- almanacs;
- and calendars;
- Lunar;
- planetary;
- and deep-space probes;
- General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology;
- Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics;
- Physics - Space Physics
- E-Print:
- LaTex, 51 pages, 14 figures, 22 tables. Invited review, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Science (ApSS). Some uncited references in the text now correctly quoted. One reference added. A footnote added