Active mass in relativistic gravity: Theoretical interpretation of the Kreuzer experiment
A 1966 experiment performed by Kreuzer set an upper limit of 5 parts in 10/sup 5/ on the difference in the ratio of active to passive mass between fluorine and bromine. (Active mass of a body is the mass that generates gravity, while passive mass is the mass that responds to gravity.) A parametrized post-Newtonian formalism is introduced for the spacetime metric of a system of charged point particles using parameters (..gamma..,..beta.., ..cap alpha../sub 1/, ..cap alpha../sub 2/, ..cap alpha../sub 3/, zeta/sub 1/, zeta/sub 2/, zeta/subW/, epsilon/sub 1/, epsilon/sub 2/, epsilon/sub 3/) whose values vary from gravitation theory to gravitation theory. The prediction of this formalism for the active gravitational masses of fluorine and bromine nuclei is compared with the results of the Kreuzer experiment and place an upper limit on a combination of these PPN parameters. By making a detailed comparison of the point-mass formalism with the standard perfect-fluid PPN formalism, it is shown that for the theories of gravitation whose perfect-fluid equations are blind to the different forms of internal energy and pressure in the fluid, the perfect-fluid PPN parameters must satisfy the constraint zeta/sub 3/+2zeta/sub 4/-..cap alpha../sub 3/-2/3zeta/sub 1/ =0. For such theories it is demonstrated that the Kreuzer experiment imposes the limit vertical-barzeta/sub 3/vertical-bar<0.06. Any theory of gravity that possesses post-Newtonian integral conservation laws for total momentum automatically agrees with the Kreuzer experiment. (AIP)
- Research Organization:
- Institute of Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, Stanford University
- OSTI ID:
- 7364957
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 204:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Theoretical frameworks for testing relativistic gravity. V. Post-Newtonian limit of Rosen's theory
Theoretical frameworks for testing relativistic gravity. V. Post-Newtonian limit of Rosen's theory
Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
BLACK HOLES
GRAVITATION
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
MASS
NEUTRON STARS
BROMINE
FLUORINE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METRICS
ELEMENTS
FIELD THEORIES
HALOGENS
NONMETALS
STARS
657003* - Theoretical & Mathematical Physics- Relativity & Gravitation
640102 - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources