Short-range test of the universality of gravitational constant G at the millimeter scale using a digital image sensor. (23rd August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ninomiya, K; Akiyama, T; Hata, M; Hatori, M; Iguri, T; Ikeda, Y; Inaba, S; Kawamura, H; Kishi, R; Murakami, H; Nakaya, Y; Nishio, H; Ogawa, N; Onishi, J; Saiba, S; Sakuta, T; Tanaka, S; Tanuma, R; Totsuka, Y; Tsutsui, R; Watanabe, K; Murata, J
• Is Part Of: Classical and quantum gravity. Volume 34:Number 18(2017:Sep.)
• Publication Date: 2017-08-23
• Subjects: torsion balance -- gravitational constant -- weak equivalence principle -- gravity experimet -- short range test -- digital image analysis; Quantum gravity -- Periodicals; Gravitation -- Periodicals; Relativity (Physics) -- Periodicals; Space and time -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 521.1
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6382/aa837f
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-9381

Abstract

Abstract: The composition dependence of gravitational constant G is measured at the millimeter scale to test the weak equivalence principle, which may be violated at short range through new Yukawa interactions such as the dilaton exchange force. A torsion balance on a turning table with two identical tungsten targets surrounded by two different attractor materials (copper and aluminum) is used to measure gravitational torque by means of digital measurements of a position sensor. Values of the ratios G ~ A l − W / G ~ C u − W − 1 and G ~ C u − W / G N − 1 were ( 0.9 ± 1.1 s t a ± 4.8 s y s ) × 10 − 2 and ( 0.2 ± 0.9 s t a ± 2.1 s y s ) × 10 − 2, respectively; these were obtained at a center to center separation of 1.7 cm and surface to surface separation of 4.5 mm between target and attractor, which is consistent with the universality of G . A weak equivalence principle (WEP) violation parameter of η A l − C u ( r ∼ 1 c m ) = ( 0.9 ± 1.1 s t a ± 4.9 s y s ) × 10 − 2 at the shortest range of around 1 cm was also obtained.