The effect of rotations on Michelson interferometers

Journal Article · Sat Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2014 · Annals of Physics (New York)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.AOP.2014.07.016· OSTI ID:22403429

Maraner, Paolo

In the contest of the special theory of relativity, it is shown that uniform rotations induce a phase shift in Michelson interferometers. The effect is second order in the ratio of the interferometer’s speed to the speed of light, further suppressed by the ratio of the interferometer’s arms length to the radius of rotation and depends on the interferometer’s position in the co-rotating frame. The magnitude of the phase shift is just beyond the sensitivity of turntable rotated optical resonators used in present tests of Lorentz invariance. It grows significantly large in Earth’s rotated kilometer-scale Fabry–Perot enhanced interferometric gravitational-wave detectors where it appears as a constant bias. The effect can provide the means of sensing center and radius of rotations. - Highlights: • Rotations induce a phase shift in Michelson interferometers. • Earth’s rotation induces a constant bias in Michelson interferometers. • Michelson interferometers can be used to sense center and radius of rotations.

• OSTI ID: 22403429
• Journal Information: Annals of Physics (New York), Journal Name: Annals of Physics (New York) Vol. 350; ISSN 0003-4916; ISSN APNYA6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
EARTH PLANET
GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DETECTORS
LORENTZ INVARIANCE
MICHELSON INTERFEROMETER
PHASE SHIFT
ROTATION
VISIBLE RADIATION