Testing Local Position Invariance with Four H Masers AND Four Cs Fountains

Published

May 28, 2007

Author(s)

Neil Ashby, Thomas P. Heavner, Steven R. Jefferts, A Radnaev, Y Dudin

Abstract

We report the most sensitive tests to date of the assumption of local position invariance (LPI) underlying general relativity, based on a seven year comparison of cesium and hydrogen atomic clocks (frequency standards). The latest results place an upper limit that is over 20 times smaller than the previous most sensitive tests; this is consistent with the null shift predicted by LPI. The result is based on precise comparisons of frequencies of four hydrogen masers maintained by NIST, with four independent Cs fountain clocks - one at NIST and three in Europe - as the Sun's gravitational potential at Earth's surface varies due to Earth's orbital eccentricity.

Proceedings Title

Proc. 2007 Joint Mtg. IEEE Intl. Freq. Cont. Symp. and EFTF Conf.

Conference Dates

May 28-June 1, 2007

Conference Location

Geneva, CH

Pub Type

Conferences

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

atomic clocks, general relativity

Citation

Ashby, N. , Heavner, T. , Jefferts, S. , Radnaev, A. and Dudin, Y. (2007), Testing Local Position Invariance with Four H Masers AND Four Cs Fountains, Proc. 2007 Joint Mtg. IEEE Intl. Freq. Cont. Symp. and EFTF Conf., Geneva, CH, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=50569 (Accessed October 10, 2025)