Citation
Abstract
One of the most exciting challenges facing gravitational theoreticians and experimenters in the remaining decades of this century will be the search for “gravitational waves” as predicted by Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. Proposals have been advanced to search for gravitational waves in ultraprecise two-way Doppler data. In such an experiment, the total measurement system includes the Deep Space Network Tracking System, the spacecraft, the intervening media, and the data processing system. Preliminary estimates of gravitational wave characteristics are used to define a baseline experiment, with a total measurement system fractional frequency fluctuation of 1X 10-1, and a desirable experiment, with a total measurement system fractional frequency fluctuation of 1 X 10717. The experiment to detect gravitational waves in ultraprecise two-way Doppler data is described, as are the anticipated requirements for the Deep Space Network, the spacecraft, and the data processing system. The article concludes by describing the steps necessary to provide the capability to perform this experiment.
Details
- Volume
- 42-46
- Published
- August 15, 1978
- Pages
- 100–108
- File Size
- 636.3 KB