STE-QUEST - Test of the universality of free fall using cold atom interferometry

D. N. Aguilera; H. Ahlers; B. Battelier; A. Bawamia; A. Bertoldi; R. Bondarescu; K. Bongs; P. Bouyer; C. Braxmaier; L. Cacciapuoti; C. Chaloner; M. Chwalla; W. Ertmer; M. Franz; N. Gaaloul; M. Gehler; D. Gerardi; L. Gesa; N. Gürlebeck; J. Hartwig; M. Hauth; O. Hellmig; W. Herr; S. Herrmann; A. Heske; A. Hinton; P. Ireland; P. Jetzer; U. Johann; M. Krutzik; A. Kubelka; C. Lämmerzahl; A. Landragin; I. Lloro; D. Massonnet; I. Mateos; A. Milke; M. Nofrarias; M. Oswald; A. Peters; K. Posso-Trujillo; E. Rasel; E. Rocco; A. Roura; J. Rudolph; W. Schleich; C. Schubert; T. Schuldt; S. Seidel; K. Sengstock; C. F. Sopuerta; F. Sorrentino; D. Summers; G. M. Tino; C. Trenkel; N. Uzunoglu; W. Von Klitzing; R. Walser; T. Wendrich; A. Wenzlawski; P. Weßels; A. Wicht; E. Wille; M. Williams; P. Windpassinger; N. Zahzam

doi:10.1088/0264-9381/31/11/115010

STE-QUEST - Test of the universality of free fall using cold atom interferometry

D. N. Aguilera, H. Ahlers, B. Battelier, A. Bawamia, A. Bertoldi, R. Bondarescu, K. Bongs, P. Bouyer, C. Braxmaier, L. Cacciapuoti, C. Chaloner, M. Chwalla, W. Ertmer, M. Franz, N. Gaaloul, M. Gehler, D. Gerardi, L. Gesa, N. Gürlebeck, J. HartwigM. Hauth, O. Hellmig, W. Herr, S. Herrmann, A. Heske, A. Hinton, P. Ireland, P. Jetzer, U. Johann, M. Krutzik, A. Kubelka, C. Lämmerzahl, A. Landragin, I. Lloro, D. Massonnet, I. Mateos, A. Milke, M. Nofrarias, M. Oswald, A. Peters, K. Posso-Trujillo, E. Rasel, E. Rocco, A. Roura, J. Rudolph, W. Schleich, C. Schubert, T. Schuldt, S. Seidel, K. Sengstock, C. F. Sopuerta, F. Sorrentino, D. Summers, G. M. Tino, C. Trenkel, N. Uzunoglu, W. Von Klitzing, R. Walser, T. Wendrich, A. Wenzlawski, P. Weßels, A. Wicht, E. Wille, M. Williams, P. Windpassinger, N. Zahzam

Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

158 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The theory of general relativity describes macroscopic phenomena driven by the influence of gravity while quantum mechanics brilliantly accounts for microscopic effects. Despite their tremendous individual success, a complete unification of fundamental interactions is missing and remains one of the most challenging and important quests in modern theoretical physics. The spacetime explorer and quantum equivalence principle space test satellite mission, proposed as a medium-size mission within the Cosmic Vision program of the European Space Agency (ESA), aims for testing general relativity with high precision in two experiments by performing a measurement of the gravitational redshift of the Sun and the Moon by comparing terrestrial clocks, and by performing a test of the universality of free fall of matter waves in the gravitational field of Earth comparing the trajectory of two Bose-Einstein condensates of ⁸⁵Rb and ⁸⁷Rb. The two ultracold atom clouds are monitored very precisely thanks to techniques of atom interferometry. This allows to reach down to an uncertainty in the Eötvös parameter of at least 2 × 10^-15. In this paper, we report about the results of the phase A mission study of the atom interferometer instrument covering the description of the main payload elements, the atomic source concept, and the systematic error sources.

Original language	English
Article number	115010
Journal	Classical and Quantum Gravity
Volume	31
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/31/11/115010
Publication status	Published - 7 Jun 2014

Keywords

atom interferometry
Bose-Einstein condensates
cold atoms
equivalence principle
microgravity
quantum gravity
space physics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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10.1088/0264-9381/31/11/115010

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Aguilera, D. N., Ahlers, H., Battelier, B., Bawamia, A., Bertoldi, A., Bondarescu, R., Bongs, K., Bouyer, P., Braxmaier, C., Cacciapuoti, L., Chaloner, C., Chwalla, M., Ertmer, W., Franz, M., Gaaloul, N., Gehler, M., Gerardi, D., Gesa, L., Gürlebeck, N., ... Zahzam, N. (2014). STE-QUEST - Test of the universality of free fall using cold atom interferometry. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 31(11), Article 115010. https://doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/31/11/115010

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abstract = "The theory of general relativity describes macroscopic phenomena driven by the influence of gravity while quantum mechanics brilliantly accounts for microscopic effects. Despite their tremendous individual success, a complete unification of fundamental interactions is missing and remains one of the most challenging and important quests in modern theoretical physics. The spacetime explorer and quantum equivalence principle space test satellite mission, proposed as a medium-size mission within the Cosmic Vision program of the European Space Agency (ESA), aims for testing general relativity with high precision in two experiments by performing a measurement of the gravitational redshift of the Sun and the Moon by comparing terrestrial clocks, and by performing a test of the universality of free fall of matter waves in the gravitational field of Earth comparing the trajectory of two Bose-Einstein condensates of 85Rb and 87Rb. The two ultracold atom clouds are monitored very precisely thanks to techniques of atom interferometry. This allows to reach down to an uncertainty in the E{\"o}tv{\"o}s parameter of at least 2 × 10-15. In this paper, we report about the results of the phase A mission study of the atom interferometer instrument covering the description of the main payload elements, the atomic source concept, and the systematic error sources.",

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author = "Aguilera, {D. N.} and H. Ahlers and B. Battelier and A. Bawamia and A. Bertoldi and R. Bondarescu and K. Bongs and P. Bouyer and C. Braxmaier and L. Cacciapuoti and C. Chaloner and M. Chwalla and W. Ertmer and M. Franz and N. Gaaloul and M. Gehler and D. Gerardi and L. Gesa and N. G{\"u}rlebeck and J. Hartwig and M. Hauth and O. Hellmig and W. Herr and S. Herrmann and A. Heske and A. Hinton and P. Ireland and P. Jetzer and U. Johann and M. Krutzik and A. Kubelka and C. L{\"a}mmerzahl and A. Landragin and I. Lloro and D. Massonnet and I. Mateos and A. Milke and M. Nofrarias and M. Oswald and A. Peters and K. Posso-Trujillo and E. Rasel and E. Rocco and A. Roura and J. Rudolph and W. Schleich and C. Schubert and T. Schuldt and S. Seidel and K. Sengstock and Sopuerta, {C. F.} and F. Sorrentino and D. Summers and Tino, {G. M.} and C. Trenkel and N. Uzunoglu and {Von Klitzing}, W. and R. Walser and T. Wendrich and A. Wenzlawski and P. We{\ss}els and A. Wicht and E. Wille and M. Williams and P. Windpassinger and N. Zahzam",

year = "2014",

month = jun,

day = "7",

doi = "10.1088/0264-9381/31/11/115010",

language = "English",

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journal = "Classical and Quantum Gravity",

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Aguilera, DN, Ahlers, H, Battelier, B, Bawamia, A, Bertoldi, A, Bondarescu, R, Bongs, K, Bouyer, P, Braxmaier, C, Cacciapuoti, L, Chaloner, C, Chwalla, M, Ertmer, W, Franz, M, Gaaloul, N, Gehler, M, Gerardi, D, Gesa, L, Gürlebeck, N, Hartwig, J, Hauth, M, Hellmig, O, Herr, W, Herrmann, S, Heske, A, Hinton, A, Ireland, P, Jetzer, P, Johann, U, Krutzik, M, Kubelka, A, Lämmerzahl, C, Landragin, A, Lloro, I, Massonnet, D, Mateos, I, Milke, A, Nofrarias, M, Oswald, M, Peters, A, Posso-Trujillo, K, Rasel, E, Rocco, E, Roura, A, Rudolph, J, Schleich, W, Schubert, C, Schuldt, T, Seidel, S, Sengstock, K, Sopuerta, CF, Sorrentino, F, Summers, D, Tino, GM, Trenkel, C, Uzunoglu, N, Von Klitzing, W, Walser, R, Wendrich, T, Wenzlawski, A, Weßels, P, Wicht, A, Wille, E, Williams, M, Windpassinger, P & Zahzam, N 2014, 'STE-QUEST - Test of the universality of free fall using cold atom interferometry', Classical and Quantum Gravity, vol. 31, no. 11, 115010. https://doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/31/11/115010

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T1 - STE-QUEST - Test of the universality of free fall using cold atom interferometry

AU - Aguilera, D. N.

AU - Ahlers, H.

AU - Battelier, B.

AU - Bawamia, A.

AU - Bertoldi, A.

AU - Bondarescu, R.

AU - Bongs, K.

AU - Bouyer, P.

AU - Braxmaier, C.

AU - Cacciapuoti, L.

AU - Chaloner, C.

AU - Chwalla, M.

AU - Ertmer, W.

AU - Franz, M.

AU - Gaaloul, N.

AU - Gehler, M.

AU - Gerardi, D.

AU - Gesa, L.

AU - Gürlebeck, N.

AU - Hartwig, J.

AU - Hauth, M.

AU - Hellmig, O.

AU - Herr, W.

AU - Herrmann, S.

AU - Heske, A.

AU - Hinton, A.

AU - Ireland, P.

AU - Jetzer, P.

AU - Johann, U.

AU - Krutzik, M.

AU - Kubelka, A.

AU - Lämmerzahl, C.

AU - Landragin, A.

AU - Lloro, I.

AU - Massonnet, D.

AU - Mateos, I.

AU - Milke, A.

AU - Nofrarias, M.

AU - Oswald, M.

AU - Peters, A.

AU - Posso-Trujillo, K.

AU - Rasel, E.

AU - Rocco, E.

AU - Roura, A.

AU - Rudolph, J.

AU - Schleich, W.

AU - Schubert, C.

AU - Schuldt, T.

AU - Seidel, S.

AU - Sengstock, K.

AU - Sopuerta, C. F.

AU - Sorrentino, F.

AU - Summers, D.

AU - Tino, G. M.

AU - Trenkel, C.

AU - Uzunoglu, N.

AU - Von Klitzing, W.

AU - Walser, R.

AU - Wendrich, T.

AU - Wenzlawski, A.

AU - Weßels, P.

AU - Wicht, A.

AU - Wille, E.

AU - Williams, M.

AU - Windpassinger, P.

AU - Zahzam, N.

PY - 2014/6/7

Y1 - 2014/6/7

N2 - The theory of general relativity describes macroscopic phenomena driven by the influence of gravity while quantum mechanics brilliantly accounts for microscopic effects. Despite their tremendous individual success, a complete unification of fundamental interactions is missing and remains one of the most challenging and important quests in modern theoretical physics. The spacetime explorer and quantum equivalence principle space test satellite mission, proposed as a medium-size mission within the Cosmic Vision program of the European Space Agency (ESA), aims for testing general relativity with high precision in two experiments by performing a measurement of the gravitational redshift of the Sun and the Moon by comparing terrestrial clocks, and by performing a test of the universality of free fall of matter waves in the gravitational field of Earth comparing the trajectory of two Bose-Einstein condensates of 85Rb and 87Rb. The two ultracold atom clouds are monitored very precisely thanks to techniques of atom interferometry. This allows to reach down to an uncertainty in the Eötvös parameter of at least 2 × 10-15. In this paper, we report about the results of the phase A mission study of the atom interferometer instrument covering the description of the main payload elements, the atomic source concept, and the systematic error sources.

AB - The theory of general relativity describes macroscopic phenomena driven by the influence of gravity while quantum mechanics brilliantly accounts for microscopic effects. Despite their tremendous individual success, a complete unification of fundamental interactions is missing and remains one of the most challenging and important quests in modern theoretical physics. The spacetime explorer and quantum equivalence principle space test satellite mission, proposed as a medium-size mission within the Cosmic Vision program of the European Space Agency (ESA), aims for testing general relativity with high precision in two experiments by performing a measurement of the gravitational redshift of the Sun and the Moon by comparing terrestrial clocks, and by performing a test of the universality of free fall of matter waves in the gravitational field of Earth comparing the trajectory of two Bose-Einstein condensates of 85Rb and 87Rb. The two ultracold atom clouds are monitored very precisely thanks to techniques of atom interferometry. This allows to reach down to an uncertainty in the Eötvös parameter of at least 2 × 10-15. In this paper, we report about the results of the phase A mission study of the atom interferometer instrument covering the description of the main payload elements, the atomic source concept, and the systematic error sources.

KW - atom interferometry

KW - Bose-Einstein condensates

KW - cold atoms

KW - equivalence principle

KW - microgravity

KW - quantum gravity

KW - space physics

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DO - 10.1088/0264-9381/31/11/115010

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SN - 0264-9381

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JO - Classical and Quantum Gravity

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M1 - 115010

ER -

STE-QUEST - Test of the universality of free fall using cold atom interferometry

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