MICROSCOPE Mission: Final Results of the Test of the Equivalence Principle.
Date Issued
2022-09-14
Author(s)
Touboul, Pierre
Métris, Gilles
Rodrigues, Manuel
Bergé, Joel
Robert, Alain
Baghi, Quentin
André, Yves
Bedouet, Judicaël
Boulanger, Damien
Carle, Patrice
Chhun, Ratana
Christophe, Bruno
Cipolla, Valerio
Damour, Thibault
Danto, Pascale
Demange, Louis
Dittus, Hansjoerg
Dhuicque, Océane
Fayet, Pierre
Foulon, Bernard
Guidotti, Pierre-Yves
Hagedorn, Daniel
Hardy, Emilie
Huynh, Phuong-Anh
Kayser, Patrick
Lala, Stéphanie
Lebat, Vincent
Liorzou, Françoise
Panet, Isabelle
Pernot-Borràs, Martin
Perraud, Laurent
Pires, Sandrine
Pouilloux, Benjamin
Prieur, Pascal
Rebray, Alexandre
Reynaud, Serge
Serron, Laura
Sumner, Timothy
Tanguy, Nicolas
Torresi, Patrizia
Visser, Pieter
Abstract
The MICROSCOPE mission was designed to test the weak equivalence principle (WEP), stating the equality between the inertial and the gravitational masses, with a precision of 10^{-15} in terms of the Eötvös ratio η. Its experimental test consisted of comparing the accelerations undergone by two collocated test masses of different compositions as they orbited the Earth, by measuring the electrostatic forces required to keep them in equilibrium. This was done with ultrasensitive differential electrostatic accelerometers onboard a drag-free satellite. The mission lasted two and a half years, cumulating five months worth of science free-fall data, two-thirds with a pair of test masses of different compositions-titanium and platinum alloys-and the last third with a reference pair of test masses of the same composition-platinum. We summarize the data analysis, with an emphasis on the characterization of the systematic uncertainties due to thermal instabilities and on the correction of short-lived events which could mimic a WEP violation signal. We found no violation of the WEP, with the Eötvös parameter of the titanium and platinum pair constrained to η(Ti,Pt)=[-1.5±2.3(stat)±1.5(syst)]×10^{-15} at 1σ in statistical errors.
Subjects
Alternative gravity theories
;
General relativity
;
weak equivalence principle (WEP)
;
gravitational mass
;
MICROSCOPE
Publisher
American Physical Society
Institution
Type
journal article
Journal/Edited collection
Physical Review Letters
ISSN
1079-7114
Band
129
Article ID
121102
Secondary publication
Yes
Document version
Postprint
License
Alle Rechte vorbehalten
Language
English
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