Frame Dragging

Frame Dragging

Einstein's theory suggests that the presence of a large nearby mass would have two effects on the gyroscope. One, the geodetic effect would be a simple change in the spin of the gyroscope. A second effect, known as frame dragging, would occur if the gyroscope were moving relative to the mass in non-linear motion, such as placed in an orbit around the larger mass. This measurement would cause a change in the spin component perpendicular to that of the geodetic effect. Its movement actually would drag spacetime around with it.

For the earth with a gyroscope in an orbit of 400 meters in altitude, values of only .00018 degrees for the geodetic effect and .000011 degrees for the frame-dragging effect are predicted. The challenge becomes to detect changes this small with the development of adequately sensitive sensors, and to reduce background interference to a level that would not drown out the signals being received.

Frame Dragging