During the 1988 time period, AFGL made gravimeter measurements at intervals along a tall tower [13][14]. Unfortunately, it appears that the surface gravity data representing ground truth in this endeavor was woefully inadequate in both density and geographic coverage. This ground truth deficiency is believed to have led AFGL investigators to arrive at a conclusion that may be viewed as too-hasty. (This investigation should be reinitiated, but with adequate ground truth data available.) Perhaps a dirigible or an aerial hovercraft would also be a good platform for making at-altitude gravity observations. The genesis of one of the more interesting ACIC G&G studies in support of Minuteman was a telephone call from a Minuteman Wing Air Force Officer to the Center’s Geosciences Branch. A coal company was contemplating the surface excavation of coal not far distant from a Minuteman silo. Some mining site particulars were verbally conveyed. The basic question arising from this situation was: If this surface coal mining operation were to occur, would it modify the Earth’s gravity field near the silo enough to require any missile gravity-related corrective action? The verbal preliminary response by ACIC to this question was: - Any effect on the missile would be negligible since gravity is a weak force*. -A G&G study is needed to obtain numerical values and verify the preliminary conclusion. -A letter be needed from the caller to ACIC requesting the G&G study be made and providing salient excavation area data such as size, depth, silo distance, etc.. The appropriate letter was received by ACIC and the G&G study was performed. Results from the study showed that the change in the local gravity field due to the coal removal would be negligible, and thus have no discernible effect on the deployed Minuteman. These findings from the ACIC Study were forwarded to the Minuteman Wing. ____________________ *As an aside, recall from physics that there are four fundamental forces: electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force, and gravitation. Particles of gravitation, gravitons, unlike particles of light, photons, have not yet been detected. However, astronomers have recently detected gravitational waves deep in the Universe.
During the 1988 time period, AFGL made gravimeter measurements at intervals along a tall tower [13][14]. Unfortunately, it appears that the surface gravity data representing ground truth in this endeavor was woefully inadequate in both density and geographic coverage. This ground truth deficiency is believed to have led AFGL investigators to arrive at a conclusion that may be viewed as too-hasty. (This investigation should be reinitiated, but with adequate ground truth data available.) Perhaps a dirigible or an aerial hovercraft would also be a good platform for making at-altitude gravity observations. The genesis of one of the more interesting ACIC G&G studies in support of Minuteman was a telephone call from a Minuteman Wing Air Force Officer to the Center’s Geosciences Branch. A coal company was contemplating the surface excavation of coal not far distant from a Minuteman silo. Some mining site particulars were verbally conveyed. The basic question arising from this situation was: If this surface coal mining operation were to occur, would it modify the Earth’s gravity field near the silo enough to require any missile gravity-related corrective action? The verbal preliminary response by ACIC to this question was: - Any effect on the missile would be negligible since gravity is a weak force*. -A G&G study is needed to obtain numerical values and verify the preliminary conclusion. -A letter be needed from the caller to ACIC requesting the G&G study be made and providing salient excavation area data such as size, depth, silo distance, etc.. The appropriate letter was received by ACIC and the G&G study was performed. Results from the study showed that the change in the local gravity field due to the coal removal would be negligible, and thus have no discernible effect on the deployed Minuteman. These findings from the ACIC Study were forwarded to the Minuteman Wing. ____________________ *As an aside, recall from physics that there are four fundamental forces: electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force, and gravitation. Particles of gravitation, gravitons, unlike particles of light, photons, have not yet been detected. However, astronomers have recently detected gravitational waves deep in the Universe.
Minuteman%20G&G%20Comments,%20Final,%20May%202016.docx