PHYSICA

ELSEVIER Physica C 341-348 (2000) 307 308

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A New Theoretical Approach of the Gravitational Shielding: Podkletnov's Effect

C. Gh. Buzea" and M. Agop b aInstimteof Technical Physics,D. Mangeron 47, 6600-1asi,Romania bTechnicalUniversity"Gh. Asachi, PhysicsDepartment, 6600-Iasi,Romania
We show an electromagnetic field can produce a gravitational Meissner effect and, as a result, a gravitational shielding (PodkletnoCs effect). 1. INTRODUCTION Gravitational Meissner effect can not be found in usual matter. Consequently, gravitational shielding does not occur here. However, particular space-time structures like wormholes [1] or cosmic strings [2], which violate the null energy condition (NEC theorem), might reveal such peculiar features [3]. In this paper we show that the presence of an electromagnetic field can cause a gravitational Meissner effect and, as a result, a gravitational shielding. 2. GENERAIJZED MAXWELL AND LONDON EQUATIONS It is well known that Einstein!s field equations in the weak field approximation and at low speeds reduce to MaxweU's type equations [4]. Then, by superposition, the generalized Maxwell equations (of the electromagnetic and gravitational field) become : V - g = ( - 4 n G + 1---q21p ~. e0m2J V.B =0 Vxg=--aB 0t
c2 J +c-2 (1)

electric charge of a particle, m its mass, G is Newton's constant, c the speed of light, eo the electric permitivity and go the magnetic permeability. If the wave function gt =1VI ei* is minimally coupled to the generalized vector potential A=Ag +(q/m) A~, the mass current density j is j=mjp = 2~(V*VV- VVV*)=

(3)

where jp is the probability current density, V = V - i g A the covariant derivative, As the gravitoelectromagnetic vector potential, A~ the electromagnetic vector potential, g a coupling constant, q and m the charge and the mass of the superconducting pair, respectively. For n = I vl 2 = constant and g = m/ti, the curl of relation (3) leads to the second London equation B=-Ivxj, (4) P The first generalized London equation results from the third eq. (1) and eq. (4) using the standard procedure [5] p& Under these circumstances "matter" satisfying generalized London equations (4) and (5) defines a generalized superconductor. The electronopositronic vacuum, type I and II superconductors are only few examples of generalized superconductors.
3. GENERALIZED MEISSNER EFFECT AND GRAVITATIONAL SHIELDING
g = ---

laj

(5)

VxB = / - 4 r i G +P-0 q2 )

igg

where the following substitutions have been used : g=gg +qge, m B = B g +q---Be, m (2)

pe =--~-qp, j e = qm j m In relations (1) and (2) (ge, B) are the electromagnetic field components, (~, B~) the gravitational field components, jc the electric field current density, j the mass current density, Pc the electric charge density, p the mass density, q the
0921-4534/00/$ - see front matter ~) 2000 Elsevier Science B.M PII S0921-4534(00)00493-7

Let us consider the last eq. (1) where we neglect the electromagnetic 0tg, and gravitational 0tgg displacement currents. Using the substitutions Z.e = (mlxoq_2n_ 1y/2 and kg = ~o~m-ln -1 y/2 with
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C.Gh. Buzea, M. Agop/Physica C 341-348 (2000) 307-308

!
ii

I . "I I
I I I I 11

I . . I ~ 1 ~
1

as a particle focusing device. Indeed, any particle moving along this cylinder with the speed v is subjected to a force (see figure 1)
d I
I J

\I
P
,i i

L '1 "I I ;
p ~, ' l I I ~ 1

gg =

go exp -

(9)

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,
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Figure 1 Change of the lines of the gravitational field g close to a cylinder coated with high temperature superconductors. Pos = 4nGc-:, the curl of this equation with (4) becomes AB - (~,'~ - ~.~2)B = 0 2 (6) Equation (6) argues that for L~ > ~%, i.e. q/m > (pog/p.oe)1/2 = 4.25-10 "n C/m, a generalized Meissner effect might occur in generalized superconductors. In this context the parameter ~.= )~s~e(~. - ~.2e~l/22corresponds to the generalized penetration depth. It is easy to test such an effect may occur in conventional superconductors. Consequently, for m=9.1.10 -31 kg, q = 1.6.10"]9C, n = I02s m "3, ~ I0" Sm and ~ ~ 1013m and (6) becomes AB - ~C2B-~ 0 (7) For ~ < L~, i.e. q/m < ( ~ / ~ ) ] / 2 = 4.25.10-H C/m, eq. (6) indicates that in a generalized superconductor, the generalized Meissner effect is not present, in other words, the field B induces in superconductor spatial oscillations with the wavelength )~'= )~)~e~--~'2g)

solution ofeq. (8). Then for (R-x)/),, << 1 the particle's equation of motion becomes, on a first approximation 5;+o2y=0, y = R - x , o2=g0k~e 1 (10) Under these circumstances, taking into account results from refs. [7] the focusing length is f = 2nvo -1 (11) E.g., for a beam of ultracold neutrons with speed v 10"2 m/s moving inside a cylinder coated with HTS, the focusing length calculated with (11) is f - 1 era. 4. CONCLUSIONS The main conclusions of the present work are as follows : assuming the superposition principle as valid we get Maxwell type equations for the generalized field (electromagnetic plus linear gravitational); we get the generalized London equations; we establish the conditions necessary for the generalized Meissner effect to occur; we show that if an electromagnetic field is present, the gravitational shielding is possible to appear; in our opinion, this way Podkletnov's effect may be seen and understood [6]; we propose a new experiment of focusing a beam of ultracold neutrons by a supsconducting cylinder with its generatrix aligned parallel to the lines of the Earth's gravitational field.
REFERENCES 1. M. Visser, Phys. Rev, D 54 (1996) 5103; Phys. Rev. D 56 (1997) 936. 2. J. R. Gott, Phys. Rev. Lett. 66 (1991) 1126. 3. M. Agop and C. Gh. Buzea, Austr, Jour. Phys (2000) in press. 4. H. Peng, Gen. Rel. Grav. 15 (1983) 725. 5. M. Agop, N. Rezlescu and G. Kalogirou, Nonlinear Phenomena in Materials Science, Plaisio Publishing House, Athenna, Greece, (1999). 6. E. Podkletnov, R. Nieminen, Physica C 203 (1992) 441. 7. C. Gh. Buzea, M. Agop and N. Rezlescu, J.J.A.P. 38 10 (1999) 5863.

-1/2"
(8)

Now, following the same method used in [5] one finds for the component ~ the equation Therefore, for ~.g>~%the lines of the field g are expelled from the superconductor, in other words, having in view its structure, it is possible to shield the gravitational field by means of an electromagnetic field. Such a shielding effect is present in Podkletnov's effect : a sample body placed over a spinning superconducting disk looses its weight [6]. In such a context, a superconducting cylinder placed in the gravitational field of the Earth will act