GAME: Gamma Astrometric Measurement Experiment

Mario Gai; Mario G. Lattanzi; Sebastiano Ligori; Alberto Vecchiato

doi:10.1117/12.788767

12 July 2008 GAME: Gamma Astrometric Measurement Experiment

Mario Gai, Mario G. Lattanzi, Sebastiano Ligori, Alberto Vecchiato

Proceedings Volume 7010, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2008: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter; 701027 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.788767
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2008, Marseille, France

Abstract

The GAME mission concept aims at the very precise measurement of the gravitational deflection of light by the Sun, by means of an optimised telescope operating in the visible and launched in orbit on a small class satellite. The targeted precision on the γ parameter of the Parametrised Post-Newtonian formulation of General Relativity is 10^-6 or better, i.e. one to two orders of magnitude better than the best currently available results. Such precision is suitable to detect possible deviations from the unity value, associated to generalised Einstein models for gravitation, with potentially huge impacts on the cosmological distribution of dark matter and dark energy. The measurement principle is based on the differential astrometric signature on the stellar positions, i.e., based on the spatial component of the effect rather than the temporal component as in the most recent experiments using radio link delay timing. The observation strategy also allows some additional scientific objectives related to other tests of General Relativity and to the study of exo-planetary field, multiple aperture Fizeau interferometer, observing simultaneously two regions close to the Solar limb. The diluted optics approach is selected for achieving an efficient rejection of the scattered solar radiation, while retaining an acceptable angular resolution on the science targets. We describe the science motivation, the proposed mission profile, the possible payload implementation and the expected performance.

Citation Download Citation

Mario Gai, Mario G. Lattanzi, Sebastiano Ligori, and Alberto Vecchiato "GAME: Gamma Astrometric Measurement Experiment", Proc. SPIE 7010, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2008: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter, 701027 (12 July 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.788767

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