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Cited by 2,017Relativity and Gravitational TheoryCosmology and Gravitation TheoriesPulsars and Gravitational Waves Research

A test of general relativity using radio links with the Cassini spacecraft

Bertotti, B., Iess, L., Tortora, P.·2003·Nature
DOI 10.1038/nature01997
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Abstract

According to general relativity, photons are deflected and delayed by the curvature of space-time produced by any mass. The bending and delay are proportional to gamma + 1, where the parameter gamma is unity in general relativity but zero in the newtonian model of gravity. The quantity gamma - 1 measures the degree to which gravity is not a purely geometric effect and is affected by other fields; such fields may have strongly influenced the early Universe, but would have now weakened so as to produce tiny--but still detectable--effects. Several experiments have confirmed to an accuracy of approximately 0.1% the predictions for the deflection and delay of photons produced by the Sun. Here we report a measurement of the frequency shift of radio photons to and from the Cassini spacecraft as they passed near the Sun. Our result, gamma = 1 + (2.1 +/- 2.3) x 10(-5), agrees with the predictions of standard general relativity with a sensitivity that approaches the level at which, theoretically, deviations are expected in some cosmological models.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nature01997

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  • Cassini-Huygens mission sets constraints so Brans-Dicke must be very close to GR; unless screening at small scales, this bound makes it difficult for Brans-Dicke theories to depart from GR at cosmological scales.

    “The Cassini–Huygens mission (Bertotti et al. 2003) sets the constraints so Brans–Dicke must be very close to GR. Unless there is a successful screening mechanism at work at small scales, this bound makes it difficult for Brans–Dicke theories to depart from GR at cosmological scales.”

    From Testing general relativity in cosmology (2019) · cites this paper as Bertotti et al. 2003

  • The most stringent constraint on Brans-Dicke theory comes from solar system tests, where the Cassini mission put the bound |ω_BD| > 40000.

    “The most stringent constraint on Brans–Dicke (BD) theory comes from solar system tests where the Cassini mission put the bound (Bertotti et al. 2003; Will 2014).”

    From Testing general relativity in cosmology (2019) · cites this paper as Bertotti et al. 2003

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Authors
Bertotti, B., Iess, L., & Tortora, P.
Affiliations
  • University of Pavia (IT)
  • Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
  • University of Bologna (IT)
Corresponding author
Iess, L.
ORCID
Venue
Nature
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2003-09
Volume
425
Issue
6956
Pages
374-376
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/nature01997
OpenAlex
W2154120281
Cited by
2,017
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 86 · 2025: 103 · 2024: 81 · 2023: 80 · 2022: 82 · 2021: 90 · 2020: 106 · 2019: 162 · 2018: 105 · 2017: 104 · 2016: 109 · 2015: 90 · 2014: 97 · 2013: 83 · 2012: 77
FWCI
30.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion)
  • IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Relativity and Gravitational Theory
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
Keywords
general relativity, gamma parameter, photon deflection, Cassini spacecraft, radio links, solar gravity, frequency shift, modified gravity, cosmological models

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