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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.20772 |
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| _version_ | 1866912666610565120 |
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| author | Ellers, Kai-Isaak Christodoulou, Marios Schwab, K. C. Whaley, K. Birgitta |
| author_facet | Ellers, Kai-Isaak Christodoulou, Marios Schwab, K. C. Whaley, K. Birgitta |
| contents | We propose a laboratory-scale experiment to locally measure the general relativistic frame-dragging effect on Earth using the macroscopic quantum properties of a novel superfluid $^4$He single Josephson junction gyrometer. We derive the frame-dragging and related geodetic and Thomas effects in the superfluid gyrometer and present a procedure for their experimental measurement. We compute the expected thermal noise floor and find that very high sensitivity can be expected at millikelvin temperatures, where near-future Josephson junctions using nanoporous 2D materials are expected to operate. Assuming utilization of the lowest mechanical loss materials, we find a noise spectral density of $5\times 10^{-17}$ rads/s/$\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ at 10 mK, which is sufficient to resolve the frame-dragging rate to 0.2% within one second of measurement, giving a rotational sensitivity of 1 revolution in 4 Byrs. This extreme sensitivity to rotation corresponds to a measurement of proper time differences as small as $10^{-35}$ s. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_20772 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Quantum Sensing of Gravitational Frame-Dragging with a Superfluid $^4$He Gyrometer Ellers, Kai-Isaak Christodoulou, Marios Schwab, K. C. Whaley, K. Birgitta Quantum Physics Other Condensed Matter Quantum Gases General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology We propose a laboratory-scale experiment to locally measure the general relativistic frame-dragging effect on Earth using the macroscopic quantum properties of a novel superfluid $^4$He single Josephson junction gyrometer. We derive the frame-dragging and related geodetic and Thomas effects in the superfluid gyrometer and present a procedure for their experimental measurement. We compute the expected thermal noise floor and find that very high sensitivity can be expected at millikelvin temperatures, where near-future Josephson junctions using nanoporous 2D materials are expected to operate. Assuming utilization of the lowest mechanical loss materials, we find a noise spectral density of $5\times 10^{-17}$ rads/s/$\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ at 10 mK, which is sufficient to resolve the frame-dragging rate to 0.2% within one second of measurement, giving a rotational sensitivity of 1 revolution in 4 Byrs. This extreme sensitivity to rotation corresponds to a measurement of proper time differences as small as $10^{-35}$ s. |
| title | Quantum Sensing of Gravitational Frame-Dragging with a Superfluid $^4$He Gyrometer |
| topic | Quantum Physics Other Condensed Matter Quantum Gases General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.20772 |