Events

CENTRA Seminar – Richard A. Matzner

Zoom Videoconference

CENTRA will organise the next weekly seminar on the Zoom video platform (contact justin.feng@tecnico.ulisboa.pt for URL).

Professor Richard Matzner (Austin’s College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas, USA) will give the seminar “Satellite laser-ranging as a probe of fundamental physics”.

Abstract:
Satellite laser-ranging is successfully used in space geodesy, geodynamics and Earth sciences; and to test fundamental physics and specific features of General Relativity. We present a confirmation to approximately one part in a billion of the fundamental weak equivalence principle (“uniqueness of free fall”) in the Earth’s gravitational field, obtained with three laser-ranged satellites, at previously untested range and with previously untested materials. the weak equivalence principle is at the foundation of General Relativity and of most gravitational theories.

More information.