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{{short description|Effect of general relativity}} | |||
{{expert-portal|Physics}} | |||
{{About|the effect on spacetime caused by a rotating mass|video frame editing|Frame rate}} | |||
{{General relativity}} | |||
{{pp-sock|small=yes}} | |||
]'s theory of ] predicts that rotating bodies drag ] around themselves in a phenomenon referred to as '''frame-dragging'''. The rotational frame-dragging effect was first derived from the theory of general relativity in ] by the Austrian physicists ] and ], and is also known as the '''Lense-Thirring effect'''.<ref>Thirring, H. Über die Wirkung rotierender ferner Massen in der Einsteinschen Gravitationstheorie. ''Physikalische Zeitschrift'' '''19''', 33 (1918). </ref><ref>Thirring, H. Berichtigung zu meiner Arbeit: "Über die Wirkung rotierender Massen in der Einsteinschen Gravitationstheorie". ''Physikalische Zeitschrift'' '''22''', 29 (1921). </ref><ref>Lense, J. and Thirring, H. Über den Einfluss der Eigenrotation der Zentralkörper auf die Bewegung der Planeten und Monde nach der Einsteinschen Gravitationstheorie. ''Physikalische Zeitschrift'' '''19''' 156-63 (1918) </ref> Lense and Thirring predicted that the rotation of an object would alter space and time, dragging a nearby object out of position compared to the predictions of Newtonian physics. This is the frame-dragging effect. The predicted effect is incredibly small — about one part in a few trillion — which means that you have to look at something very massive, or build an instrument that is incredibly sensitive. More generally, the subject of field effects caused by moving matter is known as ]. | |||
{{More citations needed|date=August 2024}} | |||
{{General relativity |phenomena}} | |||
'''Frame-dragging''' is an effect on ], predicted by ]'s ], that is due to non-static stationary distributions of ]. A stationary ] is one that is in a steady state, but the masses causing that field may be non-static — rotating, for instance. More generally, the subject that deals with the effects caused by mass–energy currents is known as ], which is analogous to the magnetism of ]. | |||
==Frame dragging effects== | |||
'''Rotational frame-dragging''' (Lense-Thirring effect) appears in the ] and similar theories in the vicinity of rotating massive objects. Under the Lense-Thirring effect, the frame of reference in which a clock ticks the fastest is one which is rotating around the object as viewed by a distant observer. This also means that light traveling in the direction of rotation of the object will move around the object faster than light moving against the rotation as seen by a distant observer. It is now the best-known effect, partly thanks to the ] experiment. | |||
The first frame-dragging effect was derived in 1918, in the framework of general relativity, by the Austrian physicists ] and ], and is also known as the ].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Thirring |first=H. |date=1918 |title=Über die Wirkung rotierender ferner Massen in der Einsteinschen Gravitationstheorie |journal=Physikalische Zeitschrift |volume=19 |page=33 |bibcode=1918PhyZ...19...33T }} </ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Thirring |first=H. |date=1921 |title=Berichtigung zu meiner Arbeit: 'Über die Wirkung rotierender Massen in der Einsteinschen Gravitationstheorie' |journal=Physikalische Zeitschrift |volume=22 |page=29 |bibcode=1921PhyZ...22...29T }} </ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Lense |first=J. |author2=Thirring, H. |date=1918 |title=Über den Einfluss der Eigenrotation der Zentralkörper auf die Bewegung der Planeten und Monde nach der Einsteinschen Gravitationstheorie |journal=Physikalische Zeitschrift |volume=19 |pages=156–163 |bibcode=1918PhyZ...19..156L}} </ref> They predicted that the rotation of a massive object would distort the ], making the orbit of a nearby test particle ]. This does not happen in ] for which the ] of a body depends only on its mass, not on its rotation. The Lense–Thirring effect is very small – about one part in a few trillion. To detect it, it is necessary to examine a very massive object, or build an instrument that is very sensitive. | |||
'''Accelerational frame dragging''' is the similarly inevitable result of the general principle of relativity, applied to acceleration. Although it arguably has equal theoretical legitimacy to the "rotational" effect, the difficulty of obtaining an experimental verification of the effect means that it receives much less discussion and is often omitted from articles on frame-dragging (but see Einstein, 1921).<ref>Einstein, A ''The Meaning of Relativity'' (contains transcripts of his 1921 Princeton lectures).</ref> | |||
In 2015, new general-relativistic extensions of Newtonian rotation laws were formulated to describe geometric dragging of frames which incorporates a newly discovered antidragging effect.<ref>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1103/PhysRevD.91.124053|title = General-relativistic rotation laws in rotating fluid bodies|journal = Physical Review D|volume = 91|issue = 12|page = 124053|year = 2015|last1 = Mach|first1 = Patryk|last2 = Malec|first2 = Edward|bibcode = 2015PhRvD..91l4053M|arxiv = 1501.04539|s2cid = 118605334}}</ref> | |||
== Mathematical treatment of frame-dragging == | |||
== Effects == | |||
{{Expand|date=February 2007}} | |||
'''Rotational frame-dragging''' (the ]) appears in the ] and similar theories in the vicinity of rotating massive objects. Under the Lense–Thirring effect, the frame of reference in which a clock ticks the fastest is one which is revolving around the object as viewed by a distant observer. This also means that light traveling in the direction of rotation of the object will move past the massive object faster than light moving against the rotation, as seen by a distant observer. It is now the best known frame-dragging effect, partly thanks to the ] experiment. Qualitatively, frame-dragging can be viewed as the gravitational analog of ]. | |||
Also, an inner region is dragged more than an outer region. This produces interesting locally rotating frames. For example, imagine that a north–south-oriented ice skater, in orbit over the equator of a rotating black hole and rotationally at rest with respect to the stars, extends her arms. The arm extended toward the black hole will be "torqued" spinward due to gravitomagnetic induction ("torqued" is in quotes because gravitational effects are not considered "forces" under ]). Likewise the arm extended away from the black hole will be torqued anti-spinward. She will therefore be rotationally sped up, in a counter-rotating sense to the black hole. This is the opposite of what happens in everyday experience. There exists a particular rotation rate that, should she be initially rotating at that rate when she extends her arms, inertial effects and frame-dragging effects will balance and her rate of rotation will not change. Due to the ], gravitational effects are locally indistinguishable from inertial effects, so this rotation rate, at which when she extends her arms nothing happens, is her local reference for non-rotation. This frame is rotating with respect to the fixed stars and counter-rotating with respect to the black hole. This effect is analogous to the ] in atomic spectra due to nuclear spin. A useful metaphor is a ] system with the black hole being the sun gear, the ice skater being a planetary gear and the outside universe being the ring gear. See ]. | |||
Another interesting consequence is that, for an object constrained in an equatorial orbit, but not in freefall, it weighs more if orbiting anti-spinward, and less if orbiting spinward. For example, in a suspended equatorial bowling alley, a bowling ball rolled anti-spinward would weigh more than the same ball rolled in a spinward direction. Note, frame dragging will neither accelerate nor slow down the bowling ball in either direction. It is not a "viscosity". Similarly, a stationary ] suspended over the rotating object will not list. It will hang vertically. If it starts to fall, induction will push it in the spinward direction. However, if a "yoyo" plumb-bob (with axis perpendicular to the equatorial plane) is slowly lowered, over the equator, toward the static limit, the yoyo will spin up in a counter rotating direction. Curiously, any denizens inside the yoyo will not feel any torque and will not experience any felt change in angular momentum. | |||
== Experimental tests of frame-dragging == | |||
'''Linear frame dragging''' is the similarly inevitable result of the general principle of relativity, applied to ]. Although it arguably has equal theoretical legitimacy to the "rotational" effect, the difficulty of obtaining an experimental verification of the effect means that it receives much less discussion and is often omitted from articles on frame-dragging (but see Einstein, 1921).<ref>Einstein, A '']'' (contains transcripts of his 1921 Princeton lectures).</ref> | |||
'''Static mass increase''' is a third effect noted by Einstein in the same paper.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Meaning of Relativity |last=Einstein |first=A. |date=1987 |publisher=Chapman and Hall |location=London |pages=95–96 }}</ref> The effect is an increase in ] of a body when other masses are placed nearby. While not strictly a frame dragging effect (the term frame dragging is not used by Einstein), it is demonstrated by Einstein that it derives from the same equation of general relativity. It is also a tiny effect that is difficult to confirm experimentally. | |||
== Experimental tests == | |||
In 1976 Van Patten and Everitt<ref>Van Patten, R.A., Everitt, C.W.F., Possible Experiment with Two Counter-Orbiting Drag-Free Satellites to Obtain a New Test of Einsteins's General Theory of Relativity and Improved Measurements in Geodesy, ''Phys. Rev. Lett.'', '''36''', 629-632, 1976.</ref><ref>Van Patten, R.A., Everitt, C.W.F., A possible experiment with two counter-rotating drag-free satellites to obtain a new test of Einstein’s general theory of relativity and improved measurements in geodesy, ''Celest. Mech. Dyn. Astron.'', '''13''', 429-447, 1976.</ref> proposed to implement a dedicated mission aimed to measure the Lense-Thirring node precession of a pair of counter-orbiting spacecraft to be placed in terrestrial polar orbits and endowed with drag-free apparatus. A somewhat equivalent, cheaper version of such an idea was put forth in 1986 by Ciufolini<ref>Ciufolini I., Measurement of Lense-Thirring Drag on High-Altitude Laser-Ranged Artificial Satellites, ''Phys. Rev. Lett.'', '''56''', 278-281, 1986.</ref> who proposed to launch a passive, geodetic satellite in an orbit identical to that of the LAGEOS satellite, launched in 1976, apart from the orbital planes which should have been displaced by 180 deg apart: the so-called butterfly configuration. The measurable quantity was, in this case, the sum of the nodes of LAGEOS and of the new spacecraft, later named LAGEOS III, LARES, WEBER-SAT. Although extensively studied by various groups<ref>Ries, J.C., Eanes, R.J., Watkins, M.M., Tapley, B., Joint NASA/ASI Study on Measuring the Lense-Thirring Precession Using a Second LAGEOS Satellite, ''CSR-89-3'', Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 1989.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., Lucchesi, D.M., and Ciufolini, I., The LARES Mission Revisited: An Alternative Scenario, ''Class. Quantum Grav.'', '''19''', 4311-4325, 2002.</ref>, such an idea has not yet been implemented. The butterfly configuration would allow, in principle, to measure not only the sum of the nodes but also the difference of the perigees<ref>Iorio, L., A new proposal for measuring the Lense-Thirring effect with a pair of supplementary satellites in the gravitational field of the Earth, ''Phys. Lett. A'', '''308''', 81-84, 2003.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., On a new observable for measuring the Lense-Thirring effect with Satellite Laser Ranging, ''Gen. Relativ. Gravit.'', '''35''', 1583-1595, 2003.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., Lucchesi, D.M., LAGEOS-type Satellites in Critical Supplementary Orbital Configuration and the Lense--Thirring Effect Detection, ''Class. Quantum Grav.'', '''20''', 2477-2490, 2003.</ref>, although such Keplerian orbital elements are more affected by the non-gravitational perturbations like the direct solar radiation pressure: the use of the active, drag-free technology would be required. Other proposed approaches involved the use of a single satellite to be placed in near polar orbit of low altitude<ref>Lucchesi, D.M., Paolozzi, A., A cost effective approach for LARES satellite, ''paper presented at XVI Congresso Nazionale AIDAA (24-28 Sept. 2001, Palermo)'', 2001.</ref><ref>Ciufolini, I., On the orbit of the LARES satellite, (Preprint http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0609081), 2006.</ref>, but such a strategy has been shown to be unfeasible<ref>Peterson, G.E., Estimation of the Lense-Thirring precession using laser-ranged satellites, ''CSR-97-1'', Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 1997.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., A critical approach to the concept of a polar, low-altitude LARES satellite, ''Class. Quantum Grav.'', '''19''', L175-L183, 2002.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., A comment on the paper "On the orbit of the LARES satellite", by I. Ciufolini, ''Planet. Space Sci.'', at press, (Preprint http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0609097) 2007.</ref>. | |||
In 1976 Van Patten and Everitt<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Van Patten |first1=R. A. |last2=Everitt |first2=C. W. F. |year=1976 |title=Possible Experiment with Two Counter-Orbiting Drag-Free Satellites to Obtain a New Test of Einsteins's General Theory of Relativity and Improved Measurements in Geodesy |journal= Physical Review Letters|volume=36 |issue=12 |pages=629–632 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.36.629 |bibcode=1976PhRvL..36..629V|s2cid=120984879 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Van Patten |first1=R. A. |last2=Everitt |first2=C. W. F. |year=1976 |title=A possible experiment with two counter-rotating drag-free satellites to obtain a new test of Einstein's general theory of relativity and improved measurements in geodesy |journal= Celestial Mechanics|volume=13 |issue=4 |pages=429–447 |doi=10.1007/BF01229096 |bibcode = 1976CeMec..13..429V |s2cid=121577510 }}</ref> proposed to implement a dedicated mission aimed to measure the Lense–Thirring node precession of a pair of counter-orbiting spacecraft to be placed in terrestrial polar orbits with drag-free apparatus. A somewhat equivalent, less expensive version of such an idea was put forth in 1986 by Ciufolini<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ciufolini |first=I. |year=1986 |title=Measurement of Lense–Thirring Drag on High-Altitude Laser-Ranged Artificial Satellites |journal= Physical Review Letters|volume=56 |issue=4 |pages=278–281 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.56.278 |pmid=10033146 |bibcode=1986PhRvL..56..278C}}</ref> who proposed to launch a passive, geodetic satellite in an orbit identical to that of the ] satellite, launched in 1976, apart from the orbital planes which should have been displaced by 180 degrees apart: the so-called butterfly configuration. The measurable quantity was, in this case, the sum of the nodes of LAGEOS and of the new spacecraft, later named LAGEOS III, ], WEBER-SAT. | |||
Limiting |
Limiting the scope to the scenarios involving existing orbiting bodies, the first proposal to use the LAGEOS satellite and the Satellite Laser Ranging (]) technique to measure the Lense–Thirring effect dates to 1977–1978.<ref>{{Cite journal |bibcode = 1978A&A....69..321C|title = Relativistic Effects on the Motion of Earth's Artificial Satellites|journal = Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume = 69|page = 321|last1 = Cugusi|first1 = L.|last2 = Proverbio|first2 = E.|year = 1978}}</ref> Tests started to be effectively performed by using the LAGEOS and ] satellites in 1996,<ref>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1007/BF02731140|title = Measurement of dragging of inertial frames and gravitomagnetic field using laser-ranged satellites|journal = Il Nuovo Cimento A|volume = 109|issue = 5|pages = 575–590|year = 1996|last1 = Ciufolini|first1 = I.|last2 = Lucchesi|first2 = D.|last3 = Vespe|first3 = F.|last4 = Mandiello|first4 = A.|bibcode = 1996NCimA.109..575C|s2cid = 124860519}}</ref> according to a strategy<ref>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1007/BF02773551|title = On a new method to measure the gravitomagnetic field using two orbiting satellites|journal = Il Nuovo Cimento A|volume = 109|issue = 12|pages = 1709–1720|year = 1996|last1 = Ciufolini|first1 = I.|bibcode = 1996NCimA.109.1709C|s2cid = 120415056}}</ref> involving the use of a suitable combination of the nodes of both satellites and the perigee of LAGEOS II. The latest tests with the LAGEOS satellites have been performed in 2004–2006<ref>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1038/nature03007|pmid = 15496915|title = A confirmation of the general relativistic prediction of the Lense–Thirring effect|journal = Nature|volume = 431|issue = 7011|pages = 958–960|year = 2004|last1 = Ciufolini|first1 = I.|last2 = Pavlis|first2 = E. C.|bibcode = 2004Natur.431..958C|s2cid = 4423434}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1016/j.newast.2006.02.001|title = Determination of frame-dragging using Earth gravity models from CHAMP and GRACE|journal = New Astronomy|volume = 11|issue = 8|pages = 527–550|year = 2006|last1 = Ciufolini|first1 = I.|last2 = Pavlis|first2 = E.C.|last3 = Peron|first3 = R.|bibcode = 2006NewA...11..527C}}</ref> by discarding the perigee of LAGEOS II and using a linear combination.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Iorio|first1=L.|last2=Morea|first2=A.|date=2004|title=The Impact of the New Earth Gravity Models on the Measurement of the Lense-Thirring Effect|journal=]|volume=36|issue=6|pages=1321–1333|doi=10.1023/B:GERG.0000022390.05674.99|bibcode=2004GReGr..36.1321I|arxiv=gr-qc/0304011|s2cid=119098428}}</ref> Recently, a comprehensive overview of the attempts to measure the Lense-Thirring effect with artificial satellites was published in the literature.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Renzetti|first=G.|date=2013|title=History of the attempts to measure orbital frame-dragging with artificial satellites|journal=]|volume=11|issue=5|pages=531–544|doi=10.2478/s11534-013-0189-1|bibcode=2013CEJPh..11..531R|doi-access=free}}</ref> The overall accuracy reached in the tests with the LAGEOS satellites is subject to some controversy.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Renzetti|first=G.|date=2014|title=Some reflections on the Lageos frame-dragging experiment in view of recent data analyses|journal=]|volume=29|pages=25–27|doi=10.1016/j.newast.2013.10.008|bibcode=2014NewA...29...25R|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Iorio|first1=L.|last2=Lichtenegger|first2=H. I. M.|last3=Ruggiero|first3=M. L.|last4=Corda|first4=C.|date=2011|title=Phenomenology of the Lense-Thirring effect in the solar system|journal=]|volume=331|issue=2|arxiv=1009.3225|pages=351–395|doi=10.1007/s10509-010-0489-5|bibcode=2011Ap&SS.331..351I|s2cid=119206212}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ciufolini|first1=I.|last2=Paolozzi|first2=A.|last3=Pavlis|first3=E. C.|last4=Ries|first4=J.|last5=Koenig|first5=R.|last6=Matzner|first6=R.|last7=Sindoni|first7=G.|last8=Neumeyer|first8=H.|date=2011|title=Testing gravitational physics with satellite laser ranging|journal=]|volume=126|issue=8|page=72|doi=10.1140/epjp/i2011-11072-2|bibcode=2011EPJP..126...72C|s2cid=122205903}}</ref> | ||
The ] experiment<ref>Everitt, C. W. F. The Gyroscope Experiment I. General Description and Analysis of Gyroscope Performance. In: Bertotti, B. (Ed.), ''Proc. Int. School Phys. "Enrico Fermi" Course LVI''. New Academic Press, New York, pp. 331–360, 1974. Reprinted in: Ruffini, R. J.; Sigismondi, C. (Eds.), ''Nonlinear Gravitodynamics. The Lense–Thirring Effect''. World Scientific, Singapore, pp. 439–468, 2003.</ref><ref>Everitt, C. W. F., et al., Gravity Probe B: Countdown to Launch. In: Laemmerzahl, C.; Everitt, C. W. F.; Hehl, F. W. (Eds.), ''Gyros, Clocks, Interferometers...: Testing Relativistic Gravity in Space''. Springer, Berlin, pp. 52–82, 2001.</ref> was a satellite-based mission by a Stanford group and NASA, used to experimentally measure another gravitomagnetic effect, the ] of a gyroscope,<ref>Pugh, G. E., Proposal for a Satellite Test of the Coriolis Prediction of General Relativity, ''WSEG, Research Memorandum No. 11'', 1959. Reprinted in: Ruffini, R. J., Sigismondi, C. (Eds.), ''Nonlinear Gravitodynamics. The Lense–Thirring Effect''. World Scientific, Singapore, pp. 414–426, 2003.</ref><ref>], On Experimental Tests of the General Theory of Relativity, ''American Journal of Physics'', '''28''', pp. 340–343, 1960.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ries |first1=J. C. |last2=Eanes |first2=R. J. |last3=Tapley |first3=B. D. |last4=Peterson |first4=G. E. |date=2003 |title=Prospects for an improved Lense–Thirring test with SLR and the GRACE gravity mission |url=https://cddis.nasa.gov/lw13/docs/presentations/sci_ries_1p.pdf |journal=Proceedings of the 13th International Laser Ranging Workshop NASA CP 2003}}</ref> to an expected 1% accuracy or better. Unfortunately such accuracy was not achieved. The first preliminary results released in April 2007 pointed towards an accuracy of<ref>Muhlfelder, B.; Mac Keiser, G.; and Turneaure, J., Gravity Probe B Experiment Error, ''poster L1.00027 presented at the American Physical Society (APS) meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, on 14–17 April 2007'', 2007.</ref> 256–128%, with the hope of reaching about 13% in December 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://einstein.stanford.edu/content/press_releases/SU/pr-aps-041807.pdf|title=StanfordNews 4/14/07|website=einstein.stanford.edu|access-date=2019-09-27}}</ref> | |||
Although the predictions of general relativity are compatible with the experimental results, the realistic evaluation of the total error raised a debate<ref>Iorio, L., On the reliability of the so far performed tests for measuring the Lense-Thirring effect with the LAGEOS satellites, ''New Astron.'', '''10''', 603-615, 2005.</ref><ref>Ciufolini, I., and Pavlis, E.C., On the Measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect Using the Nodes of the LAGEOS Satellites in reply to "On the reliability of the so-far performed tests for measuring the Lense-Thirring effect with the LAGEOS satellites" by L. Iorio, ''New Astron.'', '''10''', 636-651, 2005.</ref><ref>Lucchesi, D.M., The impact of the even zonal harmonics secular variations on the Lense-Thirring effect measurement with the two Lageos satellites, ''Int. J. of Mod. Phys. D'', '''14''', 1989-2023, 2005.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., A critical analysis of a recent test of the Lense-Thirring effect with the LAGEOS satellites, ''J. of Geodesy'', '''80''', 128-136, 2006.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., An assessment of the measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect in the Earth gravity field, in reply to: ``On the measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect using the nodes of the LAGEOS satellites, in reply to ``On the reliability of the so far performed tests for measuring the Lense-Thirring effect with the LAGEOS satellites" by L. Iorio," by I. Ciufolini and E. Pavlis, ''Planet. Space Sci.'', '''55''', 503-511, 2007.</ref>. Another test of the Lense-Thirring effect in the gravitational field of Mars, performed by suitably interpreting the data of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft, has been recently reported<ref>Iorio, L., A note on the evidence of the gravitomagnetic field of Mars, ''Class. Quantum Grav.'', '''23''', 5451-5454, 2006.</ref>. Also such a test raised a debate<ref>Iorio, L., Testing frame-dragging with the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft in the gravitational field of Mars, (Preprint http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0701042), 2007.</ref><ref> Krogh, K., Iorio's "high-precision measurement" of frame-dragging with the Mars Global Surveyor, (Preprint http://www.arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0701653), 2007.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., Reply to "Iorio's "high-precision measurement" of frame dragging with the Mars Global Surveyor", by Kris Krogh, (Preprint http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0701146), 2007.</ref><ref>Sindoni, G., Paris, C., Ialongo, P., On the Systematic Errors in the Detection of the Lense-Thirring Effect with a Mars Orbiter, (http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0701141), 2007.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., Reply to "On the Systematic Errors in the Detection of the Lense-Thirring Effect with a Mars Orbiter", by Giampiero Sindoni, Claudio Paris and Paolo Ialongo, (Preprint http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0701159), 2007.</ref><ref>Felici, G., The meaning of systematic errors, a comment to "Reply to On the Systematic Errors in the Detection of the Lense-Thirring Effect with a Mars Orbiter", by Lorenzo Iorio, (Preprint http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0703020), 2007.</ref><ref>Iorio, L., Reply to "The meaning of systematic errors, a comment to "Reply to On the Systematic Errors in the Detection of the Lense-Thirring Effect with a Mars Orbiter", by Lorenzo Iorio", by G. Felici, (Preprint http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0703042), 2007.</ref>. Attempts to detect the Lense-Thirring effect induced by the Sun's rotation on the orbits of the inner planets of the Solar System have been reported as well<ref>Iorio, L., First preliminary tests of the general relativistic gravitomagnetic field of the Sun and new constraints on a Yukawa-like fifth force from planetary data, gr-qc/0507041, 2005</ref>: the predictions of general relativity are compatible with the estimated corrections to the perihelia precessions<ref>Pitjeva, E.V., Relativistic Effects and Solar Oblateness from Radar Observations of Planets and Spacecraft. ''Astron. Lett.'', '''31''', 340-349, 2005.</ref>, although the errors are still large. The system of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter was investigated as well<ref>Iorio, L., and Lainey, V., The Lense-Thirring effect in the Jovian system of the Galilean satellites and its measurability, ''Int. J. Mod. Phys. D'', '''14''', 2039-2050, 2005.</ref>, following the original suggestion by Lense and Thirring. The ] experiment<ref>Everitt, C.W.F, The Gyroscope Experiment I. General Description and Analysis of Gyroscope Performance. In: Bertotti, B. (Ed.), ''Proc. Int. School Phys. "Enrico Fermi" Course LVI''. New Academic Press, New York, pp. 331-360, 1974. Reprinted in: Ruffini, R.J., Sigismondi, C. (Eds.), ''Nonlinear Gravitodynamics. The Lense-Thirring Effect''. World Scientific, Singapore, pp. 439-468, 2003.</ref><ref>Everitt, C.W.F., et al., Gravity Probe B: Countdown to Launch. In: Laemmerzahl, C., Everitt, C.W.F., Hehl, F.W. (Eds.), ''Gyros, Clocks, Interferometers...: Testing Relativistic Gravity in Space''. Springer, Berlin, pp. 52-82, 2001.</ref> is currently under way to experimentally measure another gravitomagentic effect, i.e. the Schiff precession of a gyroscope<ref>Pugh, G.E., Proposal for a Satellite Test of the Coriolis Prediction of General Relativity, ''WSEG, Research Memorandum No. 11'', 1959. Reprinted in: Ruffini, R.J., Sigismondi, C. (Eds.), ''Nonlinear Gravitodynamics. The Lense-Thirring Effect''. World Scientific, Singapore, pp. 414-426, 2003.</ref><ref>Schiff, L., On Experimental Tests of the General Theory of Relativity, ''Am. J. of Phys.'', '''28''', 340-343, 1960.</ref>, to an expected 1% accuracy or better. | |||
In 2008 the Senior Review Report of the NASA Astrophysics Division Operating Missions stated that it was unlikely that the Gravity Probe B team will be able to reduce the errors to the level necessary to produce a convincing test of currently untested aspects of General Relativity (including frame-dragging).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nasascience.nasa.gov/astrophysics/about-us/science-strategy/senior-reviews/AstroSR08_Report.pdf|title=Report of the 2008 Senior Review of the Astrophysics Division Operating Missions|access-date=2009-03-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921103646/http://nasascience.nasa.gov/astrophysics/about-us/science-strategy/senior-reviews/AstroSR08_Report.pdf/|archive-date=2008-09-21}} ''Report of the 2008 Senior Review of the Astrophysics Division Operating Missions'', NASA</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hecht |first=Jeff |title=Gravity Probe B scores 'F' in NASA review |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13938-gravity-probe-b-scores-f-in-nasa-review/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=New Scientist |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
On May 4, 2011, the Stanford-based analysis group and NASA announced the final report,<ref>{{cite web |title=Gravity Probe B – MISSION STATUS |url=http://einstein.stanford.edu/highlights/status1.html}}</ref> and in it the data from GP-B demonstrated the frame-dragging effect with an error of about 19 percent, and Einstein's predicted value was at the center of the confidence interval.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/73870/title/Gravity_Probe_B_finally_pays_off_ |title=Gravity Probe B finally pays off |date=2013-09-23|access-date=2011-05-07|archive-date=2012-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930181448/http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/73870/title/Gravity_probe_B_finally_pays_off_ |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=PRL>{{cite news |url=http://prl.aps.org/accepted/L/ea070Y8dQ491d22a28828c95f660a57ac82e7d8c0 |journal=Physical Review Letters |title=Gravity Probe B: Final results of a space experiment to test general relativity|date=2011-05-01|access-date=2011-05-06 |archive-date=2012-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520054840/http://prl.aps.org/accepted/L/ea070Y8dQ491d22a28828c95f660a57ac82e7d8c0 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
NASA published claims of success in verification of frame dragging for the ]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ramanujan |first1=Krishna |title=As World Turns it Drags Time and Space |url=https://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/earth_drag.html |website=NASA |publisher=Goddard Space Flight Center |access-date=23 August 2019 }}</ref> and Gravity Probe B,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perrotto |first1=Trent J. |title=Gravity Probe B |url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/gpb/gpb_results.html |access-date=23 August 2019 |website=NASA |publisher=NASA Headquarters |publication-place=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> both of which claims are still in public view. A research group in Italy,<ref>{{cite journal|pmc=4946852|year=2016|last1=Ciufolini|first1=I.|title=A test of general relativity using the LARES and LAGEOS satellites and a GRACE Earth gravity model: Measurement of Earth's dragging of inertial frames|journal=The European Physical Journal C|volume=76|issue=3|page=120|last2=Paolozzi|first2=A.|last3=Pavlis|first3=E. C.|last4=Koenig|first4=R.|last5=Ries|first5=J.|last6=Gurzadyan|first6=V.|last7=Matzner|first7=R.|last8=Penrose|first8=R.|last9=Sindoni|first9=G.|last10=Paris|first10=C.|last11=Khachatryan|first11=H.|last12=Mirzoyan|first12=S.|pmid=27471430|doi=10.1140/epjc/s10052-016-3961-8|bibcode=2016EPJC...76..120C|arxiv=1603.09674}}</ref> USA, and UK also claimed success in verification of frame dragging with the Grace gravity model, published in a peer reviewed journal. All the claims include recommendations for further research at greater accuracy and other gravity models. | |||
In the case of stars orbiting close to a spinning, supermassive black hole, frame dragging should cause the star's orbital plane to ] about the black hole spin axis. This effect should be detectable within the next few years via ] monitoring of stars at the center of the ] galaxy.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Merritt|first1=D.|last2=Alexander|first2=T.|last3=Mikkola|first3=S.|last4=Will|first4=C.|author-link=David Merritt|title=Testing Properties of the Galactic Center Black Hole Using Stellar Orbits|journal=Physical Review D|volume=81|issue=6|page=062002|year=2010|bibcode=2010PhRvD..81f2002M|doi=10.1103/PhysRevD.81.062002|arxiv=0911.4718|s2cid=118646069}}</ref> | |||
By comparing the rate of orbital precession of two stars on different orbits, it is possible in principle to test the ]s of general relativity, in addition to measuring the spin of the black hole.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Will|first=C.|author-link=Clifford Will|title=Testing the General Relativistic "No-Hair" Theorems Using the Galactic Center Black Hole Sagittarius A*|journal=Astrophysical Journal Letters|volume=674|issue=1|pages=L25–L28|year=2008|doi=10.1086/528847|bibcode=2008ApJ...674L..25W|arxiv=0711.1677|s2cid=11685632}}</ref> | |||
== Astronomical evidence == | |||
]s may provide evidence for the reality of frame-dragging. ] forces produced by the ] (frame dragging) within the ] of ]s<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Williams |first=R. K. |date=1995 |title=Extracting X rays, Ύ rays, and relativistic e<sup>−</sup>– e<sup>+</sup> pairs from supermassive Kerr black holes using the Penrose mechanism |journal=Physical Review D |volume=51 |issue=10 |pages=5387–5427 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevD.51.5387 |bibcode = 1995PhRvD..51.5387W |pmid=10018300}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Williams |first=R. K. |date=2004 |title=Collimated escaping vortical polar e<sup>−</sup>–e<sup>+</sup> jets intrinsically produced by rotating black holes and Penrose processes |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=611 |issue= 2|pages=952–963 |doi=10.1086/422304 |bibcode=2004ApJ...611..952W|arxiv = astro-ph/0404135 |s2cid=1350543 }}</ref> combined with the energy extraction mechanism by ]<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Penrose |first=R. |date=1969 |title=Gravitational collapse: The role of general relativity |journal=Nuovo Cimento Rivista |volume=1 |issue=Numero Speciale |pages=252–276 |bibcode=1969NCimR...1..252P }}</ref> have been used to explain the observed properties of ]s. <!-- Those properties have not been adequately described by ].<ref>{{cite arxiv |last=Gariel |first=J. |last2=MacCallum |first2=M. A. H.|last3= Marcilhacy |first2= G. |last4= Santos |first2=N. O. |year=2007 |title=Kerr geodesics, the Penrose process and jet collimation by a black hole |arxiv=gr-qc/0702123v1}}</ref> -->The gravitomagnetic model developed by ] predicts the observed high energy particles (~GeV) emitted by ] and ]; the extraction of X-rays, γ-rays, and relativistic e<sup>−</sup>– e<sup>+</sup> pairs; the collimated jets about the polar axis; and the asymmetrical formation of jets (relative to the orbital plane). | |||
The Lense–Thirring effect has been observed in a binary system that consists of a massive ] and a ].<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Krishnan |first=V. Venkatraman |display-authors=etal |date=31 January 2020 |title=Lense–Thirring frame dragging induced by a fast-rotating white dwarf in a binary pulsar system |journal=] |volume=367 |issue=5 |pages=577–580 |arxiv=2001.11405 |bibcode=2020Sci...367..577V |doi=10.1126/science.aax7007 |pmid=32001656 |s2cid=210966295}}</ref> | |||
== Mathematical derivation == | |||
Frame-dragging may be illustrated most readily using the ],<ref name="kerr_1963">{{Cite journal| last = Kerr | first = R. P. | author-link = Roy Kerr | date = 1963 | title = Gravitational field of a spinning mass as an example of algebraically special metrics | journal = Physical Review Letters | volume = 11| issue = 5 | pages = 237–238 | doi = 10.1103/PhysRevLett.11.237 | bibcode=1963PhRvL..11..237K}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book| last1 = Landau | first1 = L. D. | author-link1 = Lev Landau |last2=Lifshitz |first2=E. M. | date = 1975 | title = The Classical Theory of Fields (Course of Theoretical Physics, Vol. 2) | edition = revised 4th English | publisher = Pergamon Press | location = New York | isbn = 978-0-08-018176-9 |pages = 321–330}}</ref> which describes the geometry of ] in the vicinity of a mass ''M'' rotating with ] ''J'', and ] (see the link for the transformation): | |||
: <math>\begin{align} | |||
c^{2} d\tau^{2} =& | |||
\left( 1 - \frac{r_{s} r}{\rho^{2}} \right) c^{2} dt^{2} | |||
- \frac{\rho^{2}}{\Lambda^{2}} dr^{2} | |||
- \rho^{2} d\theta^{2} \\ | |||
& {} - \left( r^{2} + \alpha^{2} + \frac{r_{s} r \alpha^{2}}{\rho^{2}} \sin^{2} \theta \right) \sin^{2} \theta \ d\phi^{2} | |||
+ \frac{2r_{s} r\alpha c \sin^{2} \theta }{\rho^{2}} d\phi dt | |||
\end{align}</math> | |||
where ''r''<sub>''s''</sub> is the ] | |||
: <math> | |||
r_{s} = \frac{2GM}{c^{2}} | |||
</math> | |||
and where the following shorthand variables have been introduced for brevity | |||
: <math> | |||
\alpha = \frac{J}{Mc} | |||
</math> | |||
: <math> | |||
\rho^{2} = r^{2} + \alpha^{2} \cos^{2} \theta\,\! | |||
</math> | |||
: <math> | |||
\Lambda^{2} = r^{2} - r_{s} r + \alpha^{2}\,\! | |||
</math> | |||
In the non-relativistic limit where ''M'' (or, equivalently, ''r''<sub>''s''</sub>) goes to zero, the Kerr metric becomes the orthogonal metric for the ] | |||
: <math> | |||
c^{2} d\tau^{2} = | |||
c^{2} dt^{2} | |||
- \frac{\rho^{2}}{r^{2} + \alpha^{2}} dr^{2} | |||
- \rho^{2} d\theta^{2} | |||
- \left( r^{2} + \alpha^{2} \right) \sin^{2}\theta d\phi^{2} | |||
</math> | |||
We may rewrite the Kerr metric in the following form | |||
: <math> | |||
c^{2} d\tau^{2} = | |||
\left( g_{tt} - \frac{g_{t\phi}^{2}}{g_{\phi\phi}} \right) dt^{2} | |||
+ g_{rr} dr^{2} + g_{\theta\theta} d\theta^{2} + | |||
g_{\phi\phi} \left( d\phi + \frac{g_{t\phi}}{g_{\phi\phi}} dt \right)^{2} | |||
</math> | |||
This metric is equivalent to a co-rotating reference frame that is rotating with angular speed Ω that depends on both the radius ''r'' and the ] ''θ'' | |||
: <math> | |||
\Omega = -\frac{g_{t\phi}}{g_{\phi\phi}} = \frac{r_{s} \alpha r c}{\rho^{2} \left( r^{2} + \alpha^{2} \right) + r_{s} \alpha^{2} r \sin^{2}\theta} | |||
</math> | |||
In the plane of the equator this simplifies to:<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Tartaglia |first=A. |date=2008 |title=Detection of the gravitometric clock effect |journal= Classical and Quantum Gravity|volume= 17|issue= 4|pages= 783–792|arxiv=gr-qc/9909006|bibcode = 2000CQGra..17..783T |doi = 10.1088/0264-9381/17/4/304 |s2cid=9356721 }}</ref> | |||
: <math> | |||
\Omega = \frac{r_{s} \alpha c}{r^{3} + \alpha^{2} r + r_{s} \alpha^{2}} | |||
</math> | |||
Thus, an inertial reference frame is entrained by the rotating central mass to participate in the latter's rotation; this is frame-dragging. | |||
] appears to have singularities; the inner surface is the ]-shaped ], whereas the outer surface is pumpkin-shaped.<ref name=visser>{{Cite arXiv |eprint = 0706.0622v3|last1 = Visser|first1 = Matt|title = The Kerr spacetime: A brief introduction|year = 2007 |page=35| class=gr-qc }}</ref><ref name=blundell>Blundell, Katherine Google books, page 31</ref> The ] lies between these two surfaces; within this volume, the purely temporal component ''g<sub>tt</sub>'' is negative, i.e., acts like a purely spatial metric component. Consequently, particles within this ergosphere must co-rotate with the inner mass, if they are to retain their time-like character.]] | |||
An extreme version of frame dragging occurs within the ] of a rotating ]. The Kerr metric has two surfaces on which it appears to be singular. The inner surface corresponds to a spherical ] similar to that observed in the ]; this occurs at | |||
: <math> | |||
r_\text{inner} = \frac{r_{s} + \sqrt{r_{s}^{2} - 4\alpha^{2}}}{2} | |||
</math> | |||
where the purely radial component ''g<sub>rr</sub>'' of the metric goes to infinity. The outer surface can be approximated by an ] with lower spin parameters, and resembles a pumpkin-shape<ref name=visser /><ref name=blundell /> with higher spin parameters. It touches the inner surface at the poles of the rotation axis, where the colatitude ''θ'' equals 0 or π; its radius in Boyer-Lindquist coordinates is defined by the formula | |||
: <math> | |||
r_\text{outer} = \frac{r_{s} + \sqrt{r_{s}^{2} - 4\alpha^{2} \cos^{2}\theta}}{2} | |||
</math> | |||
where the purely temporal component ''g<sub>tt</sub>'' of the metric changes sign from positive to negative. The space between these two surfaces is called the ]. A moving particle experiences a positive ] along its ], its path through ]. However, this is impossible within the ergosphere, where ''g<sub>tt</sub>'' is negative, unless the particle is co-rotating with the interior mass ''M'' with an angular speed at least of Ω. However, as seen above, frame-dragging occurs about every rotating mass and at every radius ''r'' and colatitude ''θ'', not only within the ergosphere. | |||
=== Lense–Thirring effect inside a rotating shell === | |||
The ] inside a rotating shell was taken by ] as not just support for, but a vindication of ], in a letter he wrote to ] in 1913 (five years before Lense and Thirring's work, and two years before he had attained the final form of ]). A reproduction of the letter can be found in ].<ref name=mtw>Misner, Thorne, Wheeler, ''Gravitation'', Figure 21.5, page 544</ref> The general effect scaled up to cosmological distances, is still used as a support for Mach's principle.<ref name=mtw/> | |||
Inside a rotating spherical shell the acceleration due to the Lense–Thirring effect would be<ref name=phister>{{Cite journal|last=Pfister |first=Herbert |date=2005 |title=On the history of the so-called Lense–Thirring effect |journal=General Relativity and Gravitation |volume=39 |issue=11 |pages=1735–1748 |doi=10.1007/s10714-007-0521-4 |url=http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00002681/ |bibcode = 2007GReGr..39.1735P |citeseerx=10.1.1.693.4061 |s2cid=22593373 }}</ref> | |||
: <math> | |||
\bar{a} = -2d_1 \left( \bar{ \omega} \times \bar v \right) - d_2 \left | |||
</math> | |||
where the coefficients are | |||
: <math>\begin{align} | |||
d_1 &= \frac{4MG}{3Rc^2} \\ | |||
d_2 &= \frac{4MG}{15Rc^2} | |||
\end{align}</math> | |||
for ''MG'' ≪ ''Rc''<sup>2</sup> or more precisely, | |||
: <math> | |||
d_1 = \frac{4 \alpha(2 - \alpha)}{(1 + \alpha)(3- \alpha)}, \qquad \alpha=\frac{MG}{2Rc^2} | |||
</math> | |||
The spacetime inside the rotating spherical shell will not be flat. A flat spacetime inside a rotating mass shell is possible if the shell is allowed to deviate from a precisely spherical shape and the mass density inside the shell is allowed to vary.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pfister |first=H. |date=1985 |title=Induction of correct centrifugal force in a rotating mass shell |journal= Classical and Quantum Gravity|volume=2 |issue=6 |pages=909–918 |doi=10.1088/0264-9381/2/6/015 |bibcode = 1985CQGra...2..909P |s2cid=250883114 |display-authors=etal}}</ref> | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
{{Portal|Physics}} | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | * ] | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
{{reflist}} | |||
<references/> | |||
== Further reading == | |||
* {{cite journal|last=Renzetti|first=G.|date=May 2013|title=History of the attempts to measure orbital frame-dragging with artificial satellites|journal=]|volume=11|issue=5|pages=531–544|doi=10.2478/s11534-013-0189-1|bibcode=2013CEJPh..11..531R|doi-access=free}} | |||
* {{cite journal|last=Ginzburg|first=V. L.|title=Artificial Satellites and the Theory of Relativity|date=May 1959|journal=]|volume=200|issue=5|pages=149–160|doi=10.1038/scientificamerican0559-149|bibcode=1959SciAm.200e.149G}} | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
* | * {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619060938/http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2004/oct/HQ_04351_time_drags.html |date=2008-06-19 }} | ||
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''An early version of this article was adapted from public domain material from http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/ast06nov97_1.htm '' | |||
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Frame-dragging is an effect on spacetime, predicted by Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, that is due to non-static stationary distributions of mass–energy. A stationary field is one that is in a steady state, but the masses causing that field may be non-static — rotating, for instance. More generally, the subject that deals with the effects caused by mass–energy currents is known as gravitoelectromagnetism, which is analogous to the magnetism of classical electromagnetism.
The first frame-dragging effect was derived in 1918, in the framework of general relativity, by the Austrian physicists Josef Lense and Hans Thirring, and is also known as the Lense–Thirring effect. They predicted that the rotation of a massive object would distort the spacetime metric, making the orbit of a nearby test particle precess. This does not happen in Newtonian mechanics for which the gravitational field of a body depends only on its mass, not on its rotation. The Lense–Thirring effect is very small – about one part in a few trillion. To detect it, it is necessary to examine a very massive object, or build an instrument that is very sensitive.
In 2015, new general-relativistic extensions of Newtonian rotation laws were formulated to describe geometric dragging of frames which incorporates a newly discovered antidragging effect.
Effects
Rotational frame-dragging (the Lense–Thirring effect) appears in the general principle of relativity and similar theories in the vicinity of rotating massive objects. Under the Lense–Thirring effect, the frame of reference in which a clock ticks the fastest is one which is revolving around the object as viewed by a distant observer. This also means that light traveling in the direction of rotation of the object will move past the massive object faster than light moving against the rotation, as seen by a distant observer. It is now the best known frame-dragging effect, partly thanks to the Gravity Probe B experiment. Qualitatively, frame-dragging can be viewed as the gravitational analog of electromagnetic induction.
Also, an inner region is dragged more than an outer region. This produces interesting locally rotating frames. For example, imagine that a north–south-oriented ice skater, in orbit over the equator of a rotating black hole and rotationally at rest with respect to the stars, extends her arms. The arm extended toward the black hole will be "torqued" spinward due to gravitomagnetic induction ("torqued" is in quotes because gravitational effects are not considered "forces" under GR). Likewise the arm extended away from the black hole will be torqued anti-spinward. She will therefore be rotationally sped up, in a counter-rotating sense to the black hole. This is the opposite of what happens in everyday experience. There exists a particular rotation rate that, should she be initially rotating at that rate when she extends her arms, inertial effects and frame-dragging effects will balance and her rate of rotation will not change. Due to the equivalence principle, gravitational effects are locally indistinguishable from inertial effects, so this rotation rate, at which when she extends her arms nothing happens, is her local reference for non-rotation. This frame is rotating with respect to the fixed stars and counter-rotating with respect to the black hole. This effect is analogous to the hyperfine structure in atomic spectra due to nuclear spin. A useful metaphor is a planetary gear system with the black hole being the sun gear, the ice skater being a planetary gear and the outside universe being the ring gear. See Mach's principle.
Another interesting consequence is that, for an object constrained in an equatorial orbit, but not in freefall, it weighs more if orbiting anti-spinward, and less if orbiting spinward. For example, in a suspended equatorial bowling alley, a bowling ball rolled anti-spinward would weigh more than the same ball rolled in a spinward direction. Note, frame dragging will neither accelerate nor slow down the bowling ball in either direction. It is not a "viscosity". Similarly, a stationary plumb-bob suspended over the rotating object will not list. It will hang vertically. If it starts to fall, induction will push it in the spinward direction. However, if a "yoyo" plumb-bob (with axis perpendicular to the equatorial plane) is slowly lowered, over the equator, toward the static limit, the yoyo will spin up in a counter rotating direction. Curiously, any denizens inside the yoyo will not feel any torque and will not experience any felt change in angular momentum.
Linear frame dragging is the similarly inevitable result of the general principle of relativity, applied to linear momentum. Although it arguably has equal theoretical legitimacy to the "rotational" effect, the difficulty of obtaining an experimental verification of the effect means that it receives much less discussion and is often omitted from articles on frame-dragging (but see Einstein, 1921).
Static mass increase is a third effect noted by Einstein in the same paper. The effect is an increase in inertia of a body when other masses are placed nearby. While not strictly a frame dragging effect (the term frame dragging is not used by Einstein), it is demonstrated by Einstein that it derives from the same equation of general relativity. It is also a tiny effect that is difficult to confirm experimentally.
Experimental tests
In 1976 Van Patten and Everitt proposed to implement a dedicated mission aimed to measure the Lense–Thirring node precession of a pair of counter-orbiting spacecraft to be placed in terrestrial polar orbits with drag-free apparatus. A somewhat equivalent, less expensive version of such an idea was put forth in 1986 by Ciufolini who proposed to launch a passive, geodetic satellite in an orbit identical to that of the LAGEOS satellite, launched in 1976, apart from the orbital planes which should have been displaced by 180 degrees apart: the so-called butterfly configuration. The measurable quantity was, in this case, the sum of the nodes of LAGEOS and of the new spacecraft, later named LAGEOS III, LARES, WEBER-SAT.
Limiting the scope to the scenarios involving existing orbiting bodies, the first proposal to use the LAGEOS satellite and the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) technique to measure the Lense–Thirring effect dates to 1977–1978. Tests started to be effectively performed by using the LAGEOS and LAGEOS II satellites in 1996, according to a strategy involving the use of a suitable combination of the nodes of both satellites and the perigee of LAGEOS II. The latest tests with the LAGEOS satellites have been performed in 2004–2006 by discarding the perigee of LAGEOS II and using a linear combination. Recently, a comprehensive overview of the attempts to measure the Lense-Thirring effect with artificial satellites was published in the literature. The overall accuracy reached in the tests with the LAGEOS satellites is subject to some controversy.
The Gravity Probe B experiment was a satellite-based mission by a Stanford group and NASA, used to experimentally measure another gravitomagnetic effect, the Schiff precession of a gyroscope, to an expected 1% accuracy or better. Unfortunately such accuracy was not achieved. The first preliminary results released in April 2007 pointed towards an accuracy of 256–128%, with the hope of reaching about 13% in December 2007. In 2008 the Senior Review Report of the NASA Astrophysics Division Operating Missions stated that it was unlikely that the Gravity Probe B team will be able to reduce the errors to the level necessary to produce a convincing test of currently untested aspects of General Relativity (including frame-dragging). On May 4, 2011, the Stanford-based analysis group and NASA announced the final report, and in it the data from GP-B demonstrated the frame-dragging effect with an error of about 19 percent, and Einstein's predicted value was at the center of the confidence interval.
NASA published claims of success in verification of frame dragging for the GRACE twin satellites and Gravity Probe B, both of which claims are still in public view. A research group in Italy, USA, and UK also claimed success in verification of frame dragging with the Grace gravity model, published in a peer reviewed journal. All the claims include recommendations for further research at greater accuracy and other gravity models.
In the case of stars orbiting close to a spinning, supermassive black hole, frame dragging should cause the star's orbital plane to precess about the black hole spin axis. This effect should be detectable within the next few years via astrometric monitoring of stars at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
By comparing the rate of orbital precession of two stars on different orbits, it is possible in principle to test the no-hair theorems of general relativity, in addition to measuring the spin of the black hole.
Astronomical evidence
Relativistic jets may provide evidence for the reality of frame-dragging. Gravitomagnetic forces produced by the Lense–Thirring effect (frame dragging) within the ergosphere of rotating black holes combined with the energy extraction mechanism by Penrose have been used to explain the observed properties of relativistic jets. The gravitomagnetic model developed by Reva Kay Williams predicts the observed high energy particles (~GeV) emitted by quasars and active galactic nuclei; the extraction of X-rays, γ-rays, and relativistic e– e pairs; the collimated jets about the polar axis; and the asymmetrical formation of jets (relative to the orbital plane).
The Lense–Thirring effect has been observed in a binary system that consists of a massive white dwarf and a pulsar.
Mathematical derivation
Frame-dragging may be illustrated most readily using the Kerr metric, which describes the geometry of spacetime in the vicinity of a mass M rotating with angular momentum J, and Boyer–Lindquist coordinates (see the link for the transformation):
where rs is the Schwarzschild radius
and where the following shorthand variables have been introduced for brevity
In the non-relativistic limit where M (or, equivalently, rs) goes to zero, the Kerr metric becomes the orthogonal metric for the oblate spheroidal coordinates
We may rewrite the Kerr metric in the following form
This metric is equivalent to a co-rotating reference frame that is rotating with angular speed Ω that depends on both the radius r and the colatitude θ
In the plane of the equator this simplifies to:
Thus, an inertial reference frame is entrained by the rotating central mass to participate in the latter's rotation; this is frame-dragging.
An extreme version of frame dragging occurs within the ergosphere of a rotating black hole. The Kerr metric has two surfaces on which it appears to be singular. The inner surface corresponds to a spherical event horizon similar to that observed in the Schwarzschild metric; this occurs at
where the purely radial component grr of the metric goes to infinity. The outer surface can be approximated by an oblate spheroid with lower spin parameters, and resembles a pumpkin-shape with higher spin parameters. It touches the inner surface at the poles of the rotation axis, where the colatitude θ equals 0 or π; its radius in Boyer-Lindquist coordinates is defined by the formula
where the purely temporal component gtt of the metric changes sign from positive to negative. The space between these two surfaces is called the ergosphere. A moving particle experiences a positive proper time along its worldline, its path through spacetime. However, this is impossible within the ergosphere, where gtt is negative, unless the particle is co-rotating with the interior mass M with an angular speed at least of Ω. However, as seen above, frame-dragging occurs about every rotating mass and at every radius r and colatitude θ, not only within the ergosphere.
Lense–Thirring effect inside a rotating shell
The Lense–Thirring effect inside a rotating shell was taken by Albert Einstein as not just support for, but a vindication of Mach's principle, in a letter he wrote to Ernst Mach in 1913 (five years before Lense and Thirring's work, and two years before he had attained the final form of general relativity). A reproduction of the letter can be found in Misner, Thorne, Wheeler. The general effect scaled up to cosmological distances, is still used as a support for Mach's principle.
Inside a rotating spherical shell the acceleration due to the Lense–Thirring effect would be
where the coefficients are
for MG ≪ Rc or more precisely,
The spacetime inside the rotating spherical shell will not be flat. A flat spacetime inside a rotating mass shell is possible if the shell is allowed to deviate from a precisely spherical shape and the mass density inside the shell is allowed to vary.
See also
- Geodetic effect
- Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment
- Gravitomagnetism
- Mach's principle
- Broad iron K line
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Further reading
- Renzetti, G. (May 2013). "History of the attempts to measure orbital frame-dragging with artificial satellites". Central European Journal of Physics. 11 (5): 531–544. Bibcode:2013CEJPh..11..531R. doi:10.2478/s11534-013-0189-1.
- Ginzburg, V. L. (May 1959). "Artificial Satellites and the Theory of Relativity". Scientific American. 200 (5): 149–160. Bibcode:1959SciAm.200e.149G. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0559-149.
External links
- NASA RELEASE: 04-351 As The World Turns, It Drags Space And Time Archived 2008-06-19 at the Wayback Machine
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