Exploring the Pioneer Anomaly: Slower Than Physics Predicts?

In summary, there is a known anomaly called the pioneer anomaly where probes are moving slower than expected over vast distances. Some have claimed that this is breaking the laws of physics, but it can be explained by the relativity of time. This has been demonstrated in experiments involving atomic clocks. However, there are still questions about the exact cause of this anomaly and whether or not friction could be a factor. There is an ongoing discussion about this topic in another forum.
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PhantomOeo
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0
If you look up the pioneer anomaly you will find out that over vast distances they are slightly off in there mesurements on where the probes should be, in that they lose 5,000 meters a year. This means they are going slower than physics says they should.

While I am not a physicist (I would like to be) I think this anomaly is not breaking the laws of physics as they claim or having to change laws about gravity. Now they say they are moving slower than expected now this can make sense if they are not accounting for the relativity of time. The faster you go the slower you seem to age... or possibly even move. Now while this is unnoticable on earth, when you are dealing with something that is going in one path for years at a time at high velocities it could impact the speed of which the object (pioneer probes) are moving. The same as a watch

A quote from wikipedia on this affect, although in reverse where the gravitational change was greater than the velocital change.
Hafele and Keating, in 1971, flew caesium atomic clocks east and west around the Earth in commercial airliners, to compare the elapsed time against that of a clock that remained at the US Naval Observatory. Two opposite effects came into play. The clocks were expected to age more quickly (show a larger elapsed time) than the reference clock, since they were in a higher (weaker) gravitational potential for most of the trip (c.f. Pound, Rebka). But also, contrastingly, the moving clocks were expected to age more slowly because of the speed of their travel. The gravitational effect was the larger, and the clocks suffered a net gain in elapsed time. To within experimental error, the net gain was consistent with the difference between the predicted gravitational gain and the predicted velocity time loss. In 2005, the National Physical Laboratory in the United Kingdom reported their limited replication of this experiment.[1] The NPL experiment differed from the original in that the caesium clocks were sent on a shorter trip (London–Washington D.C. return), but the clocks were more accurate. The reported results are within 4% of the predictions of relativity.

Now with this in mind you have to realize that even if this doesn't seem to affect it enough think about this. What happens if you launch a plane from a faster plane the plane that is launched will start slowing down due to friction (which there is little of in space) could that be part of it.

If I am wrong I understand but please try to explain in simple terms why i am wrong.
 
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Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #2
Hi PhantomOeo welcome to these Forums but why start a new thread when there is another one currently running?

You will find a discussion about your questions there and in the links from that thread. I can assure you that "friction" is not the cause!

Garth
 
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FAQ: Exploring the Pioneer Anomaly: Slower Than Physics Predicts?

What is the Pioneer Anomaly?

The Pioneer Anomaly refers to the unexpected deceleration of the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts as they traveled through the outer solar system. This phenomenon was first observed in the 1980s and continues to puzzle scientists to this day.

What causes the Pioneer Anomaly?

The exact cause of the Pioneer Anomaly is still unknown, but it is believed to be a combination of factors including thermal radiation from the spacecraft, gravitational interactions with other objects, and even potential errors in our understanding of gravity on a large scale.

How was the Pioneer Anomaly discovered?

The Pioneer Anomaly was first discovered when scientists noticed that the Pioneer spacecrafts were not following the expected trajectory as they traveled through the outer solar system. This deviation from predicted behavior led to further investigation and the discovery of the anomaly.

Have other spacecrafts experienced a similar anomaly?

Yes, in addition to the Pioneer spacecrafts, there have been other missions that have experienced a similar anomaly. These include the Galileo and Ulysses spacecrafts, and even the New Horizons spacecraft which is currently on its way to explore the outer reaches of our solar system.

How are scientists studying and trying to explain the Pioneer Anomaly?

Scientists are using a variety of methods to study and explain the Pioneer Anomaly. This includes analyzing data from the spacecrafts, conducting simulations and experiments, and developing new theories and models to try to understand the phenomenon. Ongoing research and advancements in technology continue to shed light on this intriguing mystery.

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