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A test of Newton's Law of Gravity using the BREN Tower, Nevada

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6190822
We predicted gravity values on a tower by upward continuing an extensive set of surface data in order to test the 1/r/sup 2/ dependence of Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. We measured gravity at 12 heights up to 454 m on a tower at the Nevada Test Site, and at 91 locations on the surface of the earth within 2.5 kilometers of the tower. These data have been combined with 60,000 surface gravity measurements within 300 kilometers of the tower and have been used to predict the gravitational field on the tower via a solution of Laplace's equation. A discrepancy between the observed gravity values and the prediction could suggest a breakdown of Newtonian Gravity, but we observe none. Our preliminary results are consistent with the Newtonian hypothesis to within 93 +- 95 ..mu..gals at the top of the tower, a result which conflicts with the previously reported 500 ..mu..gal non-Newtonian signal seen at 562 meters above the earth. 24 refs., 2 figs.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48; AC03-81ER40050
OSTI ID:
6190822
Report Number(s):
UCRL-101001; CONF-890199-5; ON: DE89013262
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English