Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 121102 |
| Journal | Physical review letters |
| Volume | 129 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| Publication status | Published - 16 Sept 2022 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
The MICROSCOPE mission was designed to test the weak equivalence principle (WEP), stating the equality between the inertial and the gravitational masses, with a precision of 10-15 in terms of the Eötvös ratio η. Its experimental test consisted of comparing the accelerations undergone by two collocated test masses of different compositions as they orbited the Earth, by measuring the electrostatic forces required to keep them in equilibrium. This was done with ultrasensitive differential electrostatic accelerometers onboard a drag-free satellite. The mission lasted two and a half years, cumulating five months worth of science free-fall data, two-thirds with a pair of test masses of different compositions - titanium and platinum alloys - and the last third with a reference pair of test masses of the same composition - platinum. We summarize the data analysis, with an emphasis on the characterization of the systematic uncertainties due to thermal instabilities and on the correction of short-lived events which could mimic a WEP violation signal. We found no violation of the WEP, with the Eötvös parameter of the titanium and platinum pair constrained to η(Ti,Pt)=[-1.5±2.3(stat)±1.5(syst)]×10-15 at 1σ in statistical errors.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- General Physics and Astronomy
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In: Physical review letters, Vol. 129, No. 12, 121102, 16.09.2022.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - MICROSCOPE Mission
T2 - Final Results of the Test of the Equivalence Principle
AU - Touboul, Pierre
AU - Métris, Gilles
AU - Rodrigues, Manuel
AU - Bergé, Joel
AU - Robert, Alain
AU - Baghi, Quentin
AU - André, Yves
AU - Bedouet, Judicaël
AU - Boulanger, Damien
AU - Bremer, Stefanie
AU - Carle, Patrice
AU - Chhun, Ratana
AU - Christophe, Bruno
AU - Cipolla, Valerio
AU - Damour, Thibault
AU - Danto, Pascale
AU - Demange, Louis
AU - Dittus, Hansjoerg
AU - Dhuicque, Océane
AU - Fayet, Pierre
AU - Foulon, Bernard
AU - Guidotti, Pierre Yves
AU - Hagedorn, Daniel
AU - Hardy, Emilie
AU - Huynh, Phuong Anh
AU - Kayser, Patrick
AU - Lala, Stéphanie
AU - Lämmerzahl, Claus
AU - Lebat, Vincent
AU - Liorzou, Françoise
AU - List, Meike
AU - Löffler, Frank
AU - Panet, Isabelle
AU - Pernot-Borràs, Martin
AU - Perraud, Laurent
AU - Pires, Sandrine
AU - Pouilloux, Benjamin
AU - Prieur, Pascal
AU - Rebray, Alexandre
AU - Reynaud, Serge
AU - Rievers, Benny
AU - Selig, Hanns
AU - Serron, Laura
AU - Sumner, Timothy
AU - Tanguy, Nicolas
AU - Torresi, Patrizia
AU - Visser, Pieter
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 American Physical Society.
PY - 2022/9/16
Y1 - 2022/9/16
N2 - The MICROSCOPE mission was designed to test the weak equivalence principle (WEP), stating the equality between the inertial and the gravitational masses, with a precision of 10-15 in terms of the Eötvös ratio η. Its experimental test consisted of comparing the accelerations undergone by two collocated test masses of different compositions as they orbited the Earth, by measuring the electrostatic forces required to keep them in equilibrium. This was done with ultrasensitive differential electrostatic accelerometers onboard a drag-free satellite. The mission lasted two and a half years, cumulating five months worth of science free-fall data, two-thirds with a pair of test masses of different compositions - titanium and platinum alloys - and the last third with a reference pair of test masses of the same composition - platinum. We summarize the data analysis, with an emphasis on the characterization of the systematic uncertainties due to thermal instabilities and on the correction of short-lived events which could mimic a WEP violation signal. We found no violation of the WEP, with the Eötvös parameter of the titanium and platinum pair constrained to η(Ti,Pt)=[-1.5±2.3(stat)±1.5(syst)]×10-15 at 1σ in statistical errors.
AB - The MICROSCOPE mission was designed to test the weak equivalence principle (WEP), stating the equality between the inertial and the gravitational masses, with a precision of 10-15 in terms of the Eötvös ratio η. Its experimental test consisted of comparing the accelerations undergone by two collocated test masses of different compositions as they orbited the Earth, by measuring the electrostatic forces required to keep them in equilibrium. This was done with ultrasensitive differential electrostatic accelerometers onboard a drag-free satellite. The mission lasted two and a half years, cumulating five months worth of science free-fall data, two-thirds with a pair of test masses of different compositions - titanium and platinum alloys - and the last third with a reference pair of test masses of the same composition - platinum. We summarize the data analysis, with an emphasis on the characterization of the systematic uncertainties due to thermal instabilities and on the correction of short-lived events which could mimic a WEP violation signal. We found no violation of the WEP, with the Eötvös parameter of the titanium and platinum pair constrained to η(Ti,Pt)=[-1.5±2.3(stat)±1.5(syst)]×10-15 at 1σ in statistical errors.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138642719&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.121102
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.121102
M3 - Article
C2 - 36179190
AN - SCOPUS:85138642719
VL - 129
JO - Physical review letters
JF - Physical review letters
SN - 0031-9007
IS - 12
M1 - 121102
ER -