TY - GEN

T1 - Potential Capabilities of Lunar Laser Ranging for Geodesy and Relativity

AU - Müller, Jürgen

AU - Williams, James G.

AU - Turyshev, Slava G.

AU - Shelus, Peter J.

PY - 2007/12/1

Y1 - 2007/12/1

N2 - Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR), which has been carried out for more than 35 years, is used to determine many parameters within the Earth-Moon system. This includes coordinates of terrestrial ranging stations and that of lunar retro-reflectors, as well as lunar orbit, gravity field, and its tidal acceleration. LLR data analysis also performs a number of gravitational physics experiments such as test of the equivalence principle, search for time variation of the gravitational constant, and determines value of several metric gravity parameters. These gravitational physics parameters cause both secular and periodic effects on the lunar orbit that are detectable with LLR. Furthermore, LLR contributes to the determination of Earth orientation parameters (EOP) such as nutation, precession (including relativistic precession), polar motion, and UT1. The corresponding LLR EOP series is three decades long. LLR can be used for the realization of both the terrestrial and selenocentric reference frames. The realization of a dynamically defined inertial reference frame, in contrast to the kinematically realized frame of VLBI, offers new possibilities for mutual cross-checking and confirmation. Finally, LLR also investigates the processes related to the Moon's interior dynamics. Here, we review the LLR technique focusing on its impact on Geodesy and Relativity. We discuss the modern observational accuracy and the level of existing LLR modeling. We present the near-term objectives and emphasize improvements needed to fully utilize the scientific potential of LLR.

AB - Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR), which has been carried out for more than 35 years, is used to determine many parameters within the Earth-Moon system. This includes coordinates of terrestrial ranging stations and that of lunar retro-reflectors, as well as lunar orbit, gravity field, and its tidal acceleration. LLR data analysis also performs a number of gravitational physics experiments such as test of the equivalence principle, search for time variation of the gravitational constant, and determines value of several metric gravity parameters. These gravitational physics parameters cause both secular and periodic effects on the lunar orbit that are detectable with LLR. Furthermore, LLR contributes to the determination of Earth orientation parameters (EOP) such as nutation, precession (including relativistic precession), polar motion, and UT1. The corresponding LLR EOP series is three decades long. LLR can be used for the realization of both the terrestrial and selenocentric reference frames. The realization of a dynamically defined inertial reference frame, in contrast to the kinematically realized frame of VLBI, offers new possibilities for mutual cross-checking and confirmation. Finally, LLR also investigates the processes related to the Moon's interior dynamics. Here, we review the LLR technique focusing on its impact on Geodesy and Relativity. We discuss the modern observational accuracy and the level of existing LLR modeling. We present the near-term objectives and emphasize improvements needed to fully utilize the scientific potential of LLR.

KW - Earth-Moon dynamics

KW - Lunar Laser Ranging

KW - Relativity

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84865065189&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-540-49350-1_126

DO - 10.1007/978-3-540-49350-1_126

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:84865065189

SN - 9783540493495

T3 - International Association of Geodesy Symposia

SP - 903

EP - 909

BT - Dynamic Planet

T2 - IAG Symposium on Dynamic Planet: Monitoring and Understanding a Dynamic Planet with Geodetic and Oceanographic Tools

Y2 - 22 August 2005 through 26 August 2005

ER -