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arXiv · 1412.6954

Direct Terrestrial Test of Lorentz Symmetry in Electrodynamics to 10$^{-18}$

M. Nagel·S. R. Parker·E. V. Kovalchuk·P. L. Stanwix·J. G. Hartnett·E. N. Ivanov·A. Peters·M. E. Tobar
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Abstract

Lorentz symmetry is a foundational property of modern physics, underlying the standard model of particles and general relativity. It is anticipated that these two theories are low energy approximations of a single theory that is unified and consistent at the Planck scale. Many unifying proposals allow Lorentz symmetry to be broken, with observable effects appearing at Planck-suppressed levels; thus precision tests of Lorentz invariance are needed to assess and guide theoretical efforts. Here, we use ultra-stable oscillator frequency sources to perform a modern Michelson-Morley experiment and make the most precise direct terrestrial test to date of Lorentz symmetry for the photon, constraining Lorentz violating orientation-dependent relative frequency changes $Δν$/$ν$ to 9.2$\pm$10.7$\times10^{-19}$ (95$\%$ confidence interval). This order of magnitude improvement over previous Michelson-Morley experiments allows us to set comprehensive simultaneous bounds on nine boost and rotation anisotropies of the speed of light, finding no significant violations of Lorentz symmetry.

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M. Nagel, S. R. Parker, E. V. Kovalchuk, P. L. Stanwix, J. G. Hartnett, E. N. Ivanov, A. Peters, M. E. Tobar. 2015-09-14. Direct Terrestrial Test of Lorentz Symmetry in Electrodynamics to 10$^{-18}$. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9174

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