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Modelling the flyby anomalies using a modification of inertia
- Source :
- MNRAS-letters, 389(1), L57-60, 2008.
- Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- The flyby anomalies are unexplained velocity jumps of 3.9, -4.6, 13.5, -2, 1.8 and 0.02 mm/s observed near closest approach during the Earth flybys of six spacecraft. These flybys are modelled here using a theory that assumes that inertia is due to a form of Unruh radiation, and varies with acceleration due to a Hubble-scale Casimir effect. Considering the acceleration of the craft relative to every particle of the rotating Earth, the theory predicts that there is a slight reduction in inertial mass with increasing latitude for an unbound craft, since near the pole it sees a lower average relative acceleration. Applying this theory to the in- and out-bound flyby paths, with conservation of momentum, the predicted anomalies were 2.9, -0.9, 20.1, 0.9, 3.2 and -1.3 mm/s. Three of the flyby anomalies were reproduced within error bars, and the theory explains their recently-observed dependence on the latitude difference between their incident and exit trajectories. The errors for the other three flybys were between 1 and 3 mm/s.<br />Comment: 13 pages, 1 table and 2 figures. Accepted by MNRAS letters 24/6/2008. Submitted 26/3/2008. This version: corrected a few typos
- Subjects :
- Astrophysics
Physics - Space Physics
Subjects
Details
- Database :
- arXiv
- Journal :
- MNRAS-letters, 389(1), L57-60, 2008.
- Publication Type :
- Report
- Accession number :
- edsarx.0806.4159
- Document Type :
- Working Paper
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2008.00523.x