Solar system constraints on a Rindler-type extra-acceleration from modified gravity at large distances
- Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca (M.I.U.R.), Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (F.R.A.S.), viale Unità d'Italia 68, 70125 Bari (Italy)
We analytically work out the orbital effects caused by a Rindler-type extra-acceleration A{sub Rin} which naturally arises in some recent models of modified gravity at large distances. In particular, we focus on the perturbations induced by it on the two-body range ρ and range-rate ρ-dot which are commonly used in satellite and planetary investigations as primary observable quantities. The constraints obtained for A{sub Rin} by comparing our calculations with the currently available range and range-rate residuals for some of the major bodies of the solar system, obtained without explicitly modeling A{sub Rin}, are 1–2 × 10{sup −13} m s{sup −2} (Mercury and Venus), 1 × 10{sup −14} m s{sup −2} (Saturn), 1 × 10{sup −15} m s{sup −2} (Mars), while for a terrestrial Rindler acceleration we have an upper bound of 5 × 10{sup −16} m s{sup −2} (Moon). The constraints inferred from the planets' range and range-rate residuals are confirmed also by the latest empirical determinations of the corrections Δdot varpi to the usual Newtonian/Einsteinian secular precessions of the planetary longitudes of perihelia varpi: moreover, the Earth yields A{sub Rin} ≤ 7 × 10{sup −16} m s{sup −2}. Another approach which could be followed consists of taking into account A{sub Rin} in re-processing all the available data sets with accordingly modified dynamical models, and estimating a dedicated solve-for parameter explicitly accounting for it. Anyway, such a method is time-consuming. A preliminary analysis likely performed in such a way by a different author yields A ≤ 8 × 10{sup −14} m s{sup −2} at Mars' distance and A ≤ 1 × 10{sup −14} m s{sup −2} at Saturn's distance. The method adopted here can be easily and straightforwardly extended to other long-range modified models of gravity as well.
- OSTI ID:
- 22277660
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Vol. 2011, Issue 05; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1475-7516
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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