The Pioneer anomaly has been completely solved

Mechanism-Revealed Physics (27/40) ----- by Bingcheng Zhao


What is the famous Pioneer anomaly? The famous Pioneer anomaly (or Pioneer effect) refers to a very small, constant sunwards acceleration of (8.74 ± 1.33) x 10^(-10) m/s^2 experienced by Pioneer spacecraft at the distance from 20 to 70 AU from the Sun (note, 1AU = 1.496 x 10^11 m), being unable to be explained with the laws of Newton and Einstein (Ref., the encyclopedia of physics). [Two acronyms: MRSRT = Mechanism-Revealed Scales Relativity Theory (P. 133 ~ 147, Ch.1C, reference #1), MRGT = Mechanism-Revealed Gravitational Theory (P. 445 ~ 514, Ch.4B, reference #1)].

Completely solving the Pioneer anomaly: the Pioneer anomaly has been completely solved with the newly developed Pioneer anomaly equation based on the newly established MRSRT and MRGT (Ch.5A, P. 517 ~ 530, reference #1). The Pioneer anomaly equation (on P. 524, reference #1) includes five factors, they are: the effect of Pioneer spacecraft motion, the effect of the gravitational field of Earth, the effect of Earth orbiting, the effect of the gravitational field of Sun on the orbit of Earth, and the effect of the gravitational field of Sun on the location of Pioneer spacecraft. The calculated values of the Pioneer anomaly with the Pioneer anomaly equation exactly agree with the known results: the calculated values at the velocities of 11,542, 12,535 and 13,869 m/s of the Pioneer spacecraft are sequentially the lower bound, average and upper bound of the known result of the Pioneer anomaly, which is (8.74 ± 1.33) x 10^(-10) m/s^2.

After solving the Pioneer anomaly: the newly established Pioneer anomaly equation reveals the mechanism behind the Pioneer anomaly phenomenon is that: comparing to the time scale on the surface of Earth, the time scale on Pioneer spacecraft is reduced because of the motion of the spacecraft. As a result, since being measured with the larger time scale on the surface of Earth, the magnitude of the deceleration acting upon Pioneer spacecraft by the gravitational force of Sun is correspondingly amplified (because the magnitude of deceleration is inversely proportional to time scale, i.e., the decrease in time scale results in correspondingly proportional increase in deceleration) — the amplified deceleration, whose direction is from the Pioneer spacecraft towards the Sun (i.e., sunwards acceleration), is the Pioneer anomaly. Therefore, the essence of the Pioneer anomaly is the amplification of the deceleration acting upon Pioneer spacecraft by the gravitational force from the Sun, being caused by the time scale reduction resulting from the motion of the Pioneer spacecraft themselves. The definition of the Pioneer anomaly is thereby as that: the Pioneer anomaly, being caused by the time scale reduction on the Pioneer spacecraft resulting from the motion of the spacecraft themselves, is the increased amount of deceleration acting upon Pioneer spacecraft by the action of the gravitational force of Sun (P. 527, reference #1).

The fundamentally profound implications after solving the Pioneer anomaly: (i) the key to solving the Pioneer anomaly is the newly established and verified MRSRT and MRGT. (ii) Neither Einstein’s general relativity nor Newton’s classical gravitational theory is able to solve the Pioneer anomaly.

The key to understanding of the solving of the Pioneer anomaly: (i) in order to solve the Pioneer anomaly, we must have the theory that reveals and quantifies why time and space are variable thus relative. Please notice that: the newly established and verified MRSRT and MRGT reveal and quantify why time and space are variable thus relative; either Einstein’s special relativity or general relativity is unable to know why time and space are variable thus relative, being a well-known and undeniable fact. (iii) As long as you have known the greatest equation in the history of science, which is Einstein’s famous mass-energy equation (E = mc^2 or E0 = mc^2), you will easily understand the solving of the Pioneer anomaly, because the law of object’s mass doing work (P. 93 ~ 109, Ch.1A, reference #1), which lays the foundation of MRSRT and MRGT, also reveals the mechanism behind the greatest equation (P. 114 ~ 118, Ch.1B, reference #1).

Reference #1: 2009, Bingcheng Zhao, From Postulate-Based Modern Physics to Mechanism-Revealed Physics [Vol. 1(1/2)], ISBN: 978-1-4357-4913-9.
Reference #2: 2009, Bingcheng Zhao, From Postulate-Based Modern Physics to Mechanism-Revealed Physics [Vol. 2(2/2)], ISBN: 978-1-4357-5033-3.

Ph.D., Bingcheng Zhao,
The author of “From Postulate-Based Modern Physics to Mechanism-Revealed Physics”
1401 NE Merman Dr. Apt. 703, Pullman, WA 99163 USA.
Email: bingcheng.zhao@gmail.com