Simultaneous measurement of gravity acceleration and gravity gradient with an atom interferometer

F. Sorrentino (1) , Andrea Bertoldi (2) , Quentin Bodart (1, 3) , L. Cacciapuoti (3) , M. de Angelis (4) , Y.-H. Lien (1) , M. Prevedelli (5) , G. Rosi (1) , G. M. Tino (1)

1 Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia [Firenze]
2 Laboratoire Charles Fabry / Optique atomique
3 ESA - Agence Spatiale Européenne = European Space Agency
4 IFAC - Istituto di Fisica Applicata "Nello Carrara"
5 Dipartimento di Chimica Fisica e Inorganica [Bologna]

We demonstrate a method to measure the gravitational acceleration with a dual cloud atom interferometer; the use of simultaneous atom interferometers reduces the effect of seismic noise on the gravity measurement. At the same time, the apparatus is capable of accurate measurements of the vertical gravity gradient. The ability to determine the gravity acceleration and gravity gradient simultaneously and with the same instrument opens interesting perspectives in geophysical applications.

Domains: Atomic Physics [physics.atom-ph]; Optics [physics.optics]

F. Sorrentino, Andrea Bertoldi, Quentin Bodart, L. Cacciapuoti, M. de Angelis, et al.. Simultaneous measurement of gravity acceleration and gravity gradient with an atom interferometer. Applied Physics Letters, 2012, 101, pp.114106. ⟨10.1063/1.4751112⟩. ⟨hal-00822350⟩