Prospects for observations of relativistic effects in the solar system

Abstract

The solar system is the traditional laboratory for testing theories of gravitation. The results of all tests are consistent with the predictions of general relativity. The differences between these predictions and those of Newton's theory of gravitation have been confirmed with uncertainties as small as one part in a thousand. To enhance significantly the accuracy of such tests, one must investigate novel techniques. In this paper we concentrate on an experiment that promises a dramatic improvement in a classical test of general relativity – the deflection of light by solar gravity. The goal is to measure the post-post-Newtonian contribution of nearly 11 microarcseconds to this deflection. The technique we propose is based on use of an astrometric optical interferometer, POINTS, which could be operated from the bay of the Space Shuttle, mounted on the proposed Space Station, or supported by an independent spacecraft. POINTS should be able to measure the separation of stars about 90° apart with an uncertainty of only a few microarcseconds.