Date of Award

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Ruppeiner, George

Keywords

Pioneer Anomaly, Computer Modeling, Astronomy

Area of Concentration

Physics

Abstract

Analysis of the radio tracking data of Pioneers 10 and 11 over the last 30 years has indicated a small unmodeled acceleration of 8:74 + 1:33 x 108 cm/s2 that is directed towards the sun. This acceleration appears between 20 and 70 AU. Recent data has indicated that the acceleration may be decreasing with time at a rate of 2 x 1011 m/s2/yr and that it is consistent with a thermal recoil force caused by the Pioneer's on-board electrical systems. In this thesis I review the history of the anomaly and the various mechanisms proposed to explain it. I test several of these possibilities in a Java computer simulation and conclude that, while one of the gravitational theories produces a force large enough to account for the anomaly, it appears to be inconsistent with the orbits of the planets, and that the best explanation for the anomaly is most likely a thermal recoil force produced by the onboard systems, however, a MOND gravity force cannot be ruled out by this study.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida Libraries, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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