A Solar System Test of Mach's Principle with Gravimetric Data
Abstract
We present a new test for a possible Mach-Sciama dependence of the Gravitational constant G. According to Ernst Mach (1838-1916), the gravitational interaction depends on the distribution of masses in the universe. A corresponding hypothesis of Sciama (1953) on the gravitational constant, c2/G = Σ mi/ri, can be tested since the elliptic earth orbit should then cause minute annual variations in G. The test is performed by analyzing the gravity signals of a network of superconducting gravimeters (SG) which reach a precision of 10-10 m/s2. After reducing the signal by modelling tidal, meteorologic and geophysical effects, no significant evidence for the above dependence is found.
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