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4/13/2006 Physics Colloquium: Tom Murphy
Physics
Colloquium Series at MIT
4/13/2006
Tom Murphy, University of California - San Diego
Shooting the Moon: Getting Serious about Gravity
The fundamental incompatability of quantum mechanics with general
relativity together with our well-quantified ignorance of large-scale
gravity (dark energy, dark matter) strongly suggests that we intensify
our tests of gravity. APOLLO (the Apache Point Observatory Lunar
Laser-ranging Operation) is a new project that will bring about
order-of-magnitude improvements in testing several fundamental aspects of
gravity. Using a 3.5 meter telescope to bounce laser pulses off of
the retroreflector arrays left on the moon by the Apollo astronauts,
APOLLO will be capable of millimeter range-precision. By
determining the exact shape of the lunar orbit, it will be possible to
test the equivalence principle, the time-rate-of-change of the
gravitational constant, gravitomagnetism, and geodetic precession to at
least ten times better precision than currently tested. In
addition, APOLLO will be sensitive to departures from the inverse-square
law of gravity and can potentially probe the effects of extra dimensions
to which only gravity has access. APOLLO's recent record-breaking
successes will be reported.
Tme: 4:15pm
Place: Room 10-250
Refreshments will be served in the Physics Undergraduate Lounge (8-329)
at 3:45pm
For a complete list of upcoming colloquia, please visit the Physics
website:
http://web.mit.edu/physics/newsandevents/physics_colloquia_sched_spring_06.html
_____________________________
Rosrin Srethapramote
Events & Special Projects
Department of
Physics
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
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Cambridge, MA
02139-4307
Phone: (617)253-6259
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http://web.mit.edu/physics/