arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Sergei M. Kopeikin.
Analysis of the gauge residual freedom in the relativistic theory of lunar motion demonstrates that lunar laser ranging (LLR) is not currently capable to detect gravitomagnetic effects.
We describe our explicit Lorentz-invariant solution of the Einstein and null geodesic equations for the deflection experiment of 2002 September 8 when a massive moving body, Jupiter, passed within 3.7' of a line-of-sight to a distant quasar. We develop a general relativistic framework which shows that our measurement of the retarded position of a moving light-ray deflecting body (Jupiter) by making use of the gravitational time delay of quasar's radio wave is equivalent to comparison of the relativistic laws of the Lorentz transformation for gravity and light. Because, according to Einstein, the Lorentz transformation of gravity field variables must depend on a fundamental speed $c$, its measurement through the retarded position of Jupiter in the gravitational time delay allows us to study the causal nature of gravity and to set an upper limit on the speed of propagation of gravity in the near zone of the solar system as contrasted to the speed of the radio waves. We discuss the misconceptions which have inhibited the acceptance of this interpretation of the experiment. We also comment on other interpretations of this experiment by Asada, Will, Samuel, Pascual-Sanchez, and Carlip and show that their `speed of light' interpretations confuse the Lorentz transformation for gravity with that for light, and the fundamental speed of gravity with the physical speed of light from the quasar.
We introduce a linearized bi-metric theory of gravity with two metrics. The metric g_{ab} describes null hypersurfaces of the gravitational field while light moves on null hypersurfaces of the optical metric \bar{g}_{ab}. Bi-metrism naturally arises in vector-tensor theories with matter being non-minimally coupled to gravity via long-range vector field. We derive explicit Lorentz-invariant solution for a light ray propagating in space-time of the bi-metric theory and disentangle relativistic effects associated with the two metrics. This anlysis can be valuable for future spaceborne laser missions ASTROD and LATOR dedicated to map various relativistic gravity parameters in the solar system to unparalleled degree of accuracy.
Recent papers by Samuel declared that the linearized post-Newtonian v/c effects are too small to have been measured in the recent experiment involving Jupiter and quasar J0842+1845 that was used to measure the ultimate speed of gravity defined as a fundamental constant entering in front of each time derivative of the metric tensor in the Einstein gravity field equations. We describe our Lorentz-invariant formulation of the Jovian deflection experiment and confirm that v/c effects are do observed, as contrasted to the erroneous claim by Samuel, and that they vanish if and only if the speed of gravity is infinite.
Experimental discovery of the gravitomagnetic fields generated by translational and/or rotational currents of matter is one of primary goals of modern gravitational physics. The rotational (intrinsic) gravitomagnetic field of the Earth is currently measured by the Gravity Probe B. The present paper makes use of a parametrized post-Newtonian (PN) expansion of the Einstein equations to demonstrate how the extrinsic gravitomagnetic field generated by the translational current of matter can be measured by observing the relativistic time delay caused by a moving gravitational lens. We prove that measuring the extrinsic gravitomagnetic field is equivalent to testing relativistic effect of the aberration of gravity caused by the Lorentz transformation of the gravitational field. We unfold that the recent Jovian deflection experiment is a null-type experiment testing the Lorentz invariance of the gravitational field (aberration of gravity), thus, confirming existence of the extrinsic gravitomagnetic field associated with orbital motion of Jupiter with accuracy 20%. We comment on erroneous interpretations of the Jovian deflection experiment given by a number of researchers who are not familiar with modern VLBI technique and subtleties of JPL ephemeris. We propose to measure the aberration of gravity effect more accurately by observing gravitational deflection of light by the Sun and processing VLBI observations in the geocentric frame with respect to which the Sun is moving with velocity 30 km/s.
In a recent paper published in Classical and Quantum Gravity, 2004, vol. 21, p. 3803 Carlip used a vector-tensor theory of gravity to calculate the Shapiro time delay by a moving gravitational lens. He claimed that the relativistic correction of the order of v/c beyond the static part of the Shapiro delay depends on the speed of light c and, hence, the Fomalont-Kopeikin experiment is not sensitive to the speed of gravity c_g. In this letter we analyze Carlip's calculation and demonstrate that it implies a gravitodynamic (non-metric) system of units based on the principle of the constancy of the speed of gravity but it is disconnected from the practical method of measurement of astronomical distances based on the principle of the constancy of the speed of light and the SI metric (electrodynamic) system of units. Re-adjustment of theoretically-admissible but practically unmeasurable Carlip's coordinates to the SI metric system of units used in JPL ephemeris, reveals that the velocity-dependent correction to the static part of the Shapiro time delay does depend on the speed of gravity c_g as shown by Kopeikin in Classical and Quantum Gravity, 2004, vol. 21, p. 1. This analysis elucidates the importance of employing the metric system of units for physically meaningful interpretation of gravitational experiments.
One of the main endeavors of fundamental astrometry is to establish a practical realization of an inertial reference frame anchored to celestial objects whose positions are defined in the barycentric coordinates of the solar system. The development of astrometric facilities operating from space at a microarcsecond level of precision makes the non-uniformity of the galactic motion of the barycenter an observable effect that violates the inertiality of the barycentric frame. Most of the observable effect is caused by secular acceleration of the barycenter with respect to the center of the Galaxy. The acceleration results in a pattern of secular aberration which is observable astrometrically as a systematic vector field of the proper motions of distant quasars. We employ the vector spherical harmonics to describe the predicted field of the proper motions and evaluate its amplitude at each point on the celestial sphere. It is shown that the pattern of secular aberration is fully represented by three low-order electric-type vector harmonics, and hence, it is easily distinguishable from the residual rotations of the reference frame and other possible effects, such as the hypothetical long-period gravitational waves. Comprehensive numerical simulations of the grid astrometry with SIM PlanetQuest are conducted. The full covariance matrix of the simulated grid solution is used to evaluate the covariances of the three electric harmonic coefficients, representing the secular aberration pattern of proper motions. We conclude that the grid astrometry with SIM PlanetQuest will be sensitive to the main galactocentric component of secular acceleration, while the peculiar acceleration of the Sun with respect to LSR is expected to be too small to be detected with this astrometric space interferometer.
Recent review article by S. Samuel "On the speed of gravity and the Jupiter/Quasar measurement" published in the International Journal of Modern Physics D13, 1753 (2004) provides the reader with a misleading "theory" of the relativistic time delay in general theory of relativity. Furthermore, it misquotes original publications by Kopeikin and Fomalont & Kopeikin related to the measurement of the speed of gravity by VLBI. We summarize the general relativistic principles of the Lorentz-invariant theory of propagation of light in time-dependent gravitational field, derive Lorentz-invariant expression for the relativistic time delay, and finally explain why Samuel's "theory" is conceptually incorrect and confuses the speed of gravity with the speed of light.
This paper discusses spectral sensitivity of solitary and binary pulsars to a low-frequency (colored) noise. It is a third paper in a series of papers devoted to analysis of the low-frequency noise in pulsar timing observations and its impact on observable fitting parameters of timing model.
Recent measurements of the propagation of the quasar's radio signal past Jupiter are directly sensitive to the time-dependent effect from the geometric sector of general relativity which is proportional to the speed of propagation of gravity but not the speed of light. It provides a first confirmative measurement of the fundamental speed of the Einstein general principle of relativity for gravitational field.
Gravitational physics of VLBI experiment conducted on September 8, 2002 and dedicated to measure the speed of gravity (a fundamental constant in the Einstein equations) is treated in the first post-Newtonian approximation. Explicit speed-of-gravity parameterization is introduced to the Einstein equations to single out the retardation effect caused by the finite speed of gravity in the relativistic time delay of light, passing through the variable gravitational field of the solar system. The speed-of-gravity 1.5 post-Newtonian correction to the Shapiro time delay is derived and compared with our previous result obtained by making use of the post-Minkowskian approximation. We confirm that the 1.5 post-Newtonian correction to the Shapiro delay depends on the speed of gravity $c_g$ that is a directly measurable parameter in the VLBI experiment.
Equations of light, propagating from quasar to observer on earth, are integrated in the time-dependent gravitational field of the solar system by making use of either retarded or advanced solutions of the Einstein field equations. This technique allows to separate explicitly the effects associated with the propagation of gravity from those associated with light in the integral expression for the relativistic time delay of light. We prove that the relativistic correction to the Shapiro time delay discovered by Kopeikin (ApJ, 556, L1, 2001) changes sign if one retains direction of the light propagation but replaces retarded with advanced solution of the gravitational field equations. Hence, this correction is due to the propagation of gravity and allows to measure its speed. Relativistic VLBI experiment conducted by Fomalont and Kopeikin in September 2002 proves that the propagation of gravitational field is characterized by the retarded potentials.
We study the effect of retardation of gravity in binary pulsars. It appears in pulsar timing formula as a periodic excess time delay to the Shapiro effect. The retardation of gravity effect can be large enough for observation in binary pulsars with the nearly edgewise orbits and relatively large ratio of the projected semimajor axis to the orbital period of the pulsar. If one succeeds in measuring the retardation of gravity it will give further experimental evidence in favor of General Relativity.
A new gauge-invariant approach for describing cosmological perturbations is developed. It is based on a physically motivated splitting of the stress-energy tensor of the perturbation into two parts - the bare perturbation and the complementary perturbation associated with stresses in the background gravitational field induced by the introduction of the bare perturbation. The complementary perturbation of the stress-energy tensor is explicitly singled out and taken to the left side of the perturbed Einstein equations so that the bare stress-energy tensor is the sole source for the perturbation of the metric tensor and both sides of these equations are gauge invariant with respect to infinitesimal coordinate transformations. For simplicity we analyze the perturbations of the spatially-flat Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker dust model. A cosmological gauge can be chosen such that the equations for the perturbations of the metric tensor are completely decoupled for the h_{00}, h_{0i}, and h_{ij} metric components and explicitly solvable in terms of retarded integrals.
It is shown that the finite speed of gravity affects very-long baseline interferometric observations of quasars during the time of their line-of-sight close angular encounter with Jupiter. The next such event will take place in 2002, September 8. The present Letter suggests a new experimental test of general relativity in which the effect of propagation of gravity can be directly measured by very-long baseline interferometry as an excess time delay in addition to the logarithmic Shapiro time delay (Shapiro, I. I., 1964, Phys. Rev. Lett., 13, 789).
Recent modern space missions deliver invaluable information about origin of our universe, physical processes in the vicinity of black holes and other exotic astrophysical objects, stellar dynamics of our galaxy, etc. On the other hand, space astrometric missions make it possible to determine with unparalleled precision distances to stars and cosmological objects as well as their physical characteristics and positions on the celestial sphere. Permanently growing accuracy of space astronomical observations and the urgent need for adequate data processing algorithms require corresponding development of an adequate theory of reference frames along with unambiguous description of propagation of light rays from a source of light to observer. Such a theory must be based on the Einstein's general relativity and account for numerous relativistic effects both in the solar system and outside of its boundary. The main features of the relativistic theory of reference frames are presented in this work. A hierarchy of the frames is described starting from the perturbed cosmological Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric and going to the observer's frame through the intermediate barycentric and geocentric frames in the solar system. Microarcsecond astrometry and effects of propagation of light rays in time-dependent gravitational fields are discussed as well.
The accuracy of astrometric observations conducted via a space-borne optical interferometer orbiting the Earth is expected to approach a few microarcseconds. Data processing of such extremely high-precision measurements requires access to a rigorous relativistic model of light ray propagation developed in the framework of General Relativity. The data-processing of the space interferometric observations must rely upon the theory of general-relativistic transformations between the spacecraft, geocentric, and solar barycentric reference systems allowing unique and unambiguous interpretation of the stellar aberration and parallax effects. On the other hand, the algorithm must also include physically adequate treatment of the relativistic effect of light deflection caused by the spherically-symmetric (monopole-dependent) part of the gravitational field of the Sun and planets as well as the quadrupole- and spin-dependent counterparts of it. In some particular cases the gravitomagnetic field induced by the translational motion of the Sun and planets should be also taken into account for unambigious prediction of the light-ray deflection angle. In the present paper we describe the corresponding software program for taking into account all classical (proper motion, parallax, etc.) and relativistic (aberration, deflection of light) effects up to the microarcsecond threshold and demonstrate, using numerical simulations, how observations of stars and/or quasars conducted on board a space optical interferometer orbiting the Earth can be processed and disentangled.
Attaining the limit of sub-microarcsecond optical resolution will completely revolutionize fundamental astrometry by merging it with relativistic gravitational physics. Beyond the sub-microarcsecond threshold, one will meet in the sky a new population of physical phenomena caused by primordial gravitational waves from early universe and/or different localized astronomical sources, space-time topological defects, moving gravitational lenses, time variability of gravitational fields of the solar system and binary stars, and many others. Adequate physical interpretation of these yet undetectable sub-microarcsecond phenomena can not be achieved on the ground of the "standard" post-Newtonian approach (PNA), which is valid only in the near-zone of astronomical objects having a time-dependent gravitational field. We describe a new, post-Minkowskian relativistic approach for modeling astrometric observations having sub-microarcsecond precision and briefly discuss the light-propagation effects caused by gravitational waves and other phenomena related to time-dependent gravitational fields. The domain of applicability of the PNA in relativistic space astrometry is explicitly outlined.