Title :
Explanation of the anomalous Doppler observations in Pioneer 10 and 11
Author_Institution :
Tele-Consultants Inc., Alpharetta, GA, USA
Abstract :
Radio metric data from the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft indicate an apparent, constant skewing between the predicted and observed Doppler shifts. This offset has been attributed to a possible acceleration of 8.0×10-8 cm/s2 directed toward the Sun for both crafts. Any potential gravitometric models and systemic problems seem to fail in explaining this discrepancy. The value of the observed anomalous shift is shown to equal the difference between the calculated values for Newtonian and special relativistic Doppler expressions. The anomalous signals seem to indicate a preference for the Newtonian values and a deficiency of the relativistic Doppler corrections rather than any new gravitational physics
Keywords :
Doppler shift; physics fundamentals; radiometry; space communication links; space telemetry; space vehicles; special relativity; Newtonian Doppler expressions; Pioneer 10; Pioneer 11; acceleration; anomalous Doppler observations; constant skewing; discrepancy; gravitational physics; gravitometric models; offset; predicted Doppler shifts; radiometric data; relativistic Doppler corrections; special relativistic Doppler expressions; Acceleration; Atomic clocks; Doppler shift; Earth; Equations; Frequency; Physics; Signal analysis; Space vehicles; Sun;
Conference_Titel :
Aerospace Conference, 1999. Proceedings. 1999 IEEE
Conference_Location :
Snowmass at Aspen, CO
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5425-7
DOI :
10.1109/AERO.1999.793143