In this chapter we discuss a technology development program at JPL to address the diminished opportunities for experimental tests of fundamental physics in space. By developing instruments that can serve multiple functions, we hope to gain flight opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable, due to recent refocusing of the space science mission in support of manned flights. We discuss the development of a liter-sized clock based on trapped mercury ions that can serve one-way navigation functions, as well as provide high stability for sensitive tests of general relativity, and possible variation of fine structure constant. We also describe progress in the development of an atom interferometer-based gravity gradiometer. This instrument is aimed at providing detailed subsurface mapping of earth and planetary bodies. It can also be used, with minor modifications, to serve as an instrument to test the equivalence principle. Finally, we report on recent progress for the development of a dual-beam atom laser based on spinor condensates, for future advanced instrumentation supporting fundamental physics studies in space.
Access provided by Autonomous University of Puebla. Download to read the full chapter text
Chapter PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
References
L. Maleki and J. Prestage: Search for New Physics with Atomic Clocks Astro-physics, Clocks and Fundamental Constants Eds. S G Karshenboim and E Peik (Berlin:Springer, 2004).
J.D. Prestage, G.J. Dick, and L. Maleki: J. Appl. Phys. 66, 1013 (1989).
J.D. Prestage, R.L. Tjoelker, L. Maleki: Phys. Rev. Lett., 74, 3511 (1995).
J.D. Prestage, R.L. Tjoelker, L. Maleki: Proc. 2000 IEEE Freq. Control Symp., pp. 459-462 (2000).
J.D. Prestage, R.L. Tjoelker, L. Maleki: Topics Appl. Phys. 79, 195-211, Frequency Measurement and Control, ed. A.N. Luiten (2001).
J.D. Prestage, S. Chung, E. Burt, L. Maleki, and R.L. Tjoelker: Proc. 2002 IEEE Freq. Control Symp., pp. 706-710 (2000).
R.L. Tjoelker, J.D. Prestage, P.K. Koppang, and T.B. Swanson: Proc. 2003 IEEE Freq. Control Symp., pp. 1066-1072 (2003).
J.M. McGuirk, G. Foster, J.B. Fixler, M.J. Snadden, and M.A. Kasevich: Phys. Rev. A 65, 033608 (2002).
P. Touboul, Space Accelerometers: Present Status. In C. Lämmerzahl, C.W.F. Everitt and F.W. Hehl (eds.). Gyros, Clocks, Interferometers …: Testing Rela-tivistic Gravity in Space. (Springer, Berlin 2001).
N. Lockerbie, J.C. Mester, R. Torii, S. Vitale, and P. Worden. STEP: A status Report. In C. Lämmerzahl, C.W.F. Everitt and F.W. Hehl (eds.). Gyros, Clocks, Interferometers …: Testing Relativistic Gravity in Space. (Springer, Berlin 2001).
J. Ramirez-Serrano, N. Yu, J.M. Kohel, J.R. Kellogg, and L. Maleki: Opt. Lett. 6, 682-684 (2006).
M. Kasevich and S. Chu: Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 181 (1991).
N. Lundblad, R.J. Thompson, D. Aveline, and L. Maleki: Submitted to PRA (2006).
D.M. Stamper-Kurn, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 661 (1999).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Maleki, L., Kohel, J.M., Lundblad, N.E., Prestage, J.D., Thompson, R.J., Yu, N. (2008). Clocks and Accelerometers for Space Tests of Fundamental Physics. In: Dittus, H., Lammerzahl, C., Turyshev, S.G. (eds) Lasers, Clocks and Drag-Free Control. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 349. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-34377-6_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-34377-6_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-34376-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-34377-6
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)