Inertial and gravitational effects on a geonium atom
Asuka Ito
Abstract
Abstract We reveal all linear order inertial and gravitational effects on a non-relativistic Dirac particle (mass m ) on the Earth up to the order of 1/ m in the Foldy–Wouthuysen-like expansion. Applying the result to Penning trap experiments where a Dirac particle experiences the cyclotron motion and the spin precession in a cavity, i.e. a geonium atom, we study modifications to the g -factor of such as the electron. It is shown that each correction from gravity has different dependence on the cyclotron frequency and the mass m . Therefore, their magnitude change depending on situations. In a particular case of an electron g -factor measurement, the dominant correction to the observed g -factor comes from effects of the Earth’s rotation, which is δg /2 ≃ 5.2 × 10 −17 . It may be detectable in the near future.