Evaluation of enhanced frame-dragging in the vicinity of a rotating niobium superconductor, liquid helium and a helium superfluid

Abstract

To explain a reported Cooper-pair mass anomaly in niobium it has been predicted that rotating superconductors or superfluids might produce large non-classical frame-dragging fields. Anomalous gyroscope signals close to the measurement resolution in the proximity of rotating superconductors or liquid helium have also been reported while trying to investigate this theoretical concept. Based on lessons from various setups, we succeeded in building an experimental facility that allowed us to rotate a niobium superconductor, liquid helium, superfluid helium and low temperature matter with high accelerations at high speed exceeding all previous efforts. A military-grade SRS-1000 gyroscope at close proximity in different locations was used to measure any anomalous frame-dragging-like fields. No such anomalies were found within three times the noise level of our setup (+/- 5 x 10(-8) rad s(-1)). Measurements with an electric motor at speeds up to 5000 rpm enabled us to set low boundaries for any coupling or frame-dragging-like effect outside of a rotating niobium superconductor or liquid helium to 4 x 10(-11) and for superfluids to 3 x 10(-10). Due to the high speeds used, these results are up to two orders of magnitude below any previous result.