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Dragging
Introduction
2
2.1
General Relativity
Equivalence Principle
A freely falling observer, in his immediate vicinity does not feel any gravitational field. It can be easily shown that the motion of a particle in a
uniformly accelerated frame is same as the motion of the particle in a uniform gravitational field. In fact the effect of gravity can be negated by an
observer falling with the acceleration of gravity. The equation of motion of
a particle in gravitational field g is
d2 (x)
=g
dt2
2.2
(1)
(2)
The line element of special relativistic mechanics is given by the flat space
metric
ds2 = dt2 + dx2 + dy 2 + dz 2
1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0
=
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
+ u u e = 0
(12)
d
Equation 12 is known as the geodesic equation of a particle in a general
spacetime.
Geodetic Precession
s.u = 0
(13)
(14)
To get the expression in a general frame we have to proceed in the same way
as in the derivation of the geodesic equation, only in place of u in equation
11 we will get s . Replacing the dummy variables in the same way we will
get what is called the gyroscope equation.
ds
+ s u = 0
d
(15)
d
d dt
=
= ut
d
dt d
(17)
where is the angular velocity, which has the same dependence on mass and
radius of orbit as in Newtonian mechanics
2 =
M
R3
(18)
The gyro is also supposed to have its spin pointing in the radial direction
with magnitude s .We now have to solve the gyroscope equation for all the
components.Since the gyro is in the equitorial plane and both the directions
for its spin are symmetrical it wont go in either direction because of the
symmetry of its position. This makes s zero.
2M t t
s.u = 1
u s + R 2 s u = 0
(19)
R
4
(20)
Now to sove for the remaining components of the spin of the gyro we have
to plug in the various Christoffel symbols for the Shwarzschild geometry into
equation 15 and eliminate st by using the above condition. Using this we
arrive at two coupled equations in sr and s .
dsr
(R 3M )s = 0
dt
ds r
+ s =0
dt
R
(21a)
(21b)
Differentiating equation 21.b once and putting dsdt from equation 21.a we get
3M
d2 s
+ 1
2 s = 0
(22)
dt
R
The above equations is just a simple harmonic equation with frequency
0
3M
1
R
1/2
s = s 1
sin (0 t)
0
R
R
(23)
(24a)
(24b)
cos
cos
sr (t =
2
)
sr (t = 0)
20
1
cos cos
(25)
(26)
(27)
Lense-Thirring effect
(29)
(30)
To find the spin as a functions of time we have to find the Christoffel symbols
for this geometry. The non vanishing Christoffel symbols fo sz of leading
order in 1/c are :
6GJyz
c2 r 5
6GJxz
zty = zyt = 2 5
cr
ztx = zxt =
(31a)
(31b)
Since the gyroscope is moving along the z axis (x=y=0), all the Christoffel
symbols vanish.
dsz
=0
d
sz = constant = 0
(32)
(33)
(34)
(35a)
(35b)
Hence the differetial equations for sx and sy to leading order in 1/c are:
2GJ
dsx
= 2 3 sy
dt
cz
dsy
2GJ x
= 2 3s
dt
cz
(36a)
(36b)
The above coupled equations describe a gyroscope spinning around the z axis
in the same direction as the body that is curving the space is rotating. This
is called the Lense-Thirring precession. The angular velocity of precession is
given by
2GJ
(37)
LT = 2 3
cz
4.1
In the above thought experiment the observer in the freely falling frame of the
gyro can construct a reference frame using gyroscopes and setting their spin
in 3 orthogonal directions. Since ei .ej are zero initially they will continue to
be zero for all time. But due to the Lense-Thirring precession, the spin of the
gyroscopes will point in different directions at different times. The Observer
on the laboratiory will conclude that the inertial frame he constructed is
rotating along with the rotating mass. It is in this sense that inertial frames
are dragged by rotating bodies.
Gravity Probe B
5.1
Data Review
The predicted value for the geodetc precession and the Lense-Thirring precession for the gyros were -6,606.1 milliarcsecond/year and -39.2 milliarcsecond/year respectively. The data analysed in an article published in the
Physical Review Letters in 2011 reported an averaged values of -6,601.818.3
milliarcsecond/year and 37.2 7.2 milliarcsecond/year for the two precessions
respectively. These values being very close to the predicted values successfully confirms these predictions.
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References
[1] James B. Hartle Gravity: An Introduction to Einsteins General Relativity
[2] Bernard F. Schutz A first course in general relativity
[3] Everitt et al Gravity Probe B: Final Results of a Space Experiment to
Test General Relativity Physical Review Letters 106 (22): 221101 2011
[4] Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank my project guide, Professor Shiv Sethi for his valuable
guidance and support. Also the resources available to me throughout the
IISc campus were very helpful.
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