Title:	Atom interferometry and the gravitational redshift
Authors:	Sinha, Supurna Samuel, J.
Issue Date:	21-Jul-2011
Publisher:	IOP Publishing Ltd
Citation:	Classical and Quantum Gravity, 2011, Vol.28, p145018
Abstract:	From the principle of equivalence, Einstein predicted that clocks slow down in a gravitational field. Since the general theory of relativity is based on the principle of equivalence, it is essential to test this prediction accurately. M¨uller, Peters and Chu claim that a reinterpretation of decade old experiments with atom interferometers leads to a sensitive test of this gravitational redshift effect at the Compton frequency. Wolf et al dispute this claim and adduce arguments against it. In this paper, we distill these arguments to a single fundamental objection: an atom is not a clock ticking at the Compton frequency. We conclude that atom interferometry experiments conducted to date do not yield such sensitive tests of the gravitational redshift. Finally, we suggest a new interferometric experiment to measure the gravitational redshift, which realizes a quantum version of the classical clock ‘paradox’. PACS numbers: 04.80.−y, 03.75.Dg
Description:	Restricted Access. An open-access version is available at arXiv.org (one of the alternative locations)
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/2289/4061
ISSN:	0264-9381 1361-6382 (Online)
Alternative Location:	http://arxiv.org/abs/1102.2587 http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/28/14/145018 http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011CQGra..28n5018S
Copyright:	2011 IOP Publishing Ltd
Appears in Collections:	Research Papers (TP)

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