Ephraim Fischbach

Long-range forces and the Eötvös experiment

Abstract We present here the details of our reanalysis of the experiment of Eotvos, Pekar, and Fekete (EPF). After outlining our motivation for reexamining the EPF paper, we review the history of this experiment, which is described in some detail. A phenomenological framework is developed for describing the EPF and other similar experiments, and this is then applied to analyzing the EPF data. We show that these data evidence a strong correlation between the measured fractional acceleration differences of various sample pairs of materials and the corresponding differences of baryon number-to-mass ratios. Such a correlation can result from a coupling of the test masses to an intermediate-range field whose source is baryon number, and it is shown that the properties of this field which emerge from geophysical data provide a fair description of the EPF results. We further demonstrate that no other known mechanism, either conventional or otherwise, provides an adequate explanation of these data. Various experiments to check the EPF results are described, and in the Appendix we analyze the effects of local mass inhomogeneities which appear to represent the dominant sources in Eotvos-like experiments.

A new force in nature

We review recent experimental and theoretical work dealing with the proposed fifth force. Further analysis of the original Eotvos experiments has uncovered no challenges to our original assertion that these data evidence a correlation characteristic of the presence of a new coupling to baryon number or hypercharge. Various models suggest that the proposed fifth force could be accomodated naturally into the existing theoretical framework.

Reanalysis of the Eo uml tvös experiment

We have carefully reexamined the results of the experiment of Eoetvoes, Pekar, and Fekete, which compared the accelerations of various materials to the Earth. We find that the Eoetvoes-Pekar-Fekete data are sensitive to the composition of the materials used, and that their results support the existence of an intermediate-range coupling to baryon number or hypercharge.

Reanalysis of the Eoumltvoes experiment

We have carefully reexamined the results of the experiment of Eoetvoes, Pekar, and Fekete, which compared the accelerations of various materials to the Earth. We find that the Eoetvoes-Pekar-Fekete data are sensitive to the composition of the materials used, and that their results support the existence of an intermediate-range coupling to baryon number or hypercharge.