Results of an absolute determination of the acceleration of gravity

Abstract

The acceleration of gravity has been determined by using one element of an optical interferometer as a freely falling object. A rotation-insensitive mirror was dropped approximately 10 cm and generated three sets of white light fringes as it fell. The times between the occurrence of these fringes were measured electronically. The spacing of the white light fringes was measured interferometrically and was continuously monitorable. The rms accuracy of the experiment is 7 parts in 107. This work serves to demonstrate again the Potsdam error of more than 10 ppm. The value obtained for g at the surface of the pier in room 130, Palmer Physical Laboratory, Princeton University, is 980.1604±0.0007 gals. This value transferred to the gravity site in Guyot Hall, Princeton University, would be 980.1626 gals; and finally the Palmer value transferred to the Washington Geophysics Laboratory (using a Washington-Princeton difference of 0.0770 gals) would be 980.0856 gals.