Testing the Relativistic Effect of the Propagation of Gravity by Very Long Baseline Interferometry

Abstract

It is shown that the finite speed of gravity affects very-long baseline interferometric observations of quasars during the time of their line-of-sight close angular encounter with Jupiter. The next such event will take place in 2002, September 8. The present Letter suggests a new experimental test of general relativity in which the effect of propagation of gravity can be directly measured by very-long baseline interferometry as an excess time delay in addition to the logarithmic Shapiro time delay (Shapiro, I. I., 1964, Phys.Rev. Lett., 13, 789).