Re: Pioneer anomaly

In message <4331DA8F.4070003@xxxxxxxxx>, Gerard Westendorp
<westy31@xxxxxxxxx> writes
>Someone has already shown that a dilute gas, present in the outer solar
>system, would cause a small object to decelerate while having a
>negligible effects on heavier objects like planets. T
>
>I think an estimate showed that the deceleration of this kind would be
>a bout 40X smaller than measured. This was assuming a frontal area of
>the spacecraft equal to the mechanical area that it has.

Interesting. Apparently a planned mission will distinguish whether the
acceleration is toward the sun, the earth, along the spin axis, or in
the direction of motion of the craft (astro-ph/0411077). This model
would have it as the latter.

My bet is that it will be in the direction of the earth, because that is
a clear prediction of the teleconnection that I have been playing with.
Also the value of the acceleration comes out right.



Regards

--
Charles Francis

.

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