Francesco Giovinetti (Napoli): Measuring general relativistic effects by means of ring laser gyroscopes

Montag, 24. November 2025 14:00

Ort: Seminarraum A, Währinger Str. 17, 2. Stock

From Ehrenfest’s paradox to Mach’s principle, the history of General Relativity is closely linked to the concept of rotation. However, this notion is sometimes a source of confusion and misconceptions, often caused by a lack of standardization in the language used in the scientific literature.
In this talk, we will review two non-equivalent definitions of rotation (local and “absolute” rotations) in the context of General Relativity, with particular attention to their operative definitions. After addressing the link between these two concepts and their connection to gravitation, we will provide an overview of the GINGER (Gyroscopes in General Relativity) experiment, whose main goal is to measure the Lense-Thirring effect generated by Earth's rotation using a system of ring laser gyroscopes.

Location:

Seminarraum A, Währinger Str. 17, 2. Stock