Lense–Thirring precession

The Lense- Thirring effect ( also: frame - dragging effect) is a theoretically predicted in 1918 by the mathematician Josef Lense and Hans Thirring physicist physical effect, which results from the general theory of relativity. He falls into the class of gravitomagnetic effects.

The effect describes the influence of the local inertial frame by a rotating mass, which is in simplified form ( and therefore not entirely accurate ) can be thought of as the rotating mass of the space around it like a viscous fluid drags slightly twisted and thus the space-time.

Experimental Evidence

Currently, is still debated whether the scientists to Ignazio Ciufolini of the University of Lecce and Errico's Pavlis of the University of Maryland at Baltimore in 2004, the experimental evidence of the effect has been achieved. You the exact measurements for the orbits of geodetic satellites LAGEOS 1 and 2 precisely. Their position and orientation should be influenced by the rotating mass of the Earth. The accuracy of the tests with the LAGEOS satellites is currently controversial, with estimates ranging from 10% to 20-30 % and even beyond. 2013 published a review article by G. Renzetti over attempts to measure the Lense- Thirring effect with earth satellites.

The two satellites were in 1976 and 1992 brought into orbit to determine small effects on the Earth's surface as the drifting of the continents, postglacial uplift processes and seasonal variations of the Earth's rotation. Your position can be measured accurately with the help of reflected laser beams to 1-3 cm, so that the twisting of space-time can be quantitatively determined with the 400 -kg earth satellite. The twist angle of the space-time move in accordance with the theoretical prediction by the rotating mass of the Earth at about 12 millionths of a degree. If the effect actually exists, then the two satellites must follow the curved trajectories of the twisted space-time.

Despite the possible errors caused by the uneven gravity field of the earth, the centimeter-level position provisions of the LAGEOS satellites were sufficient in the opinion of the experimenters in order to prove this relativistic effect can.

Another detection experiment was conducted between August 28 2004 and August 14, 2005 using the NASA research satellite Gravity Probe B. Also, this experiment has become, despite an unexpected source of error, the experimenters according to the evidence of the effect achieved. It soon became clear that the desired accuracy has been missed by 1 %, the effect size by at least a factor of 2. The final analysis yielded a value which corresponded to 5% of the prediction of the general theory of relativity -39.2 milliarcseconds per year .. The last evaluations (April 2011 ) of the data revealed a further confirmation of this effect.

In February 2012, launched on board the first rocket of the type Vega the LARES mission with the primary goal of the final confirmation of the effect. The mission is to operation until 2016 ausgelegt.Vorlage: Future / In 2 years, the actual achievable accuracy is controversial ..

Effects

The Lense- Thirring effect is also held responsible for the enormous luminosity of quasars. It allows the falling into a black hole plasma of the accretion disk a stable orbit very close to the Schwarzschild radius, which it can be hotter than a non-rotating black hole, and thus radiates stronger.

In addition, the twisted together with the plasma magnetic fields are probably responsible for the strong acceleration and focussing of the jet.