Gravitational Time Dilation and Chip Scale Atomic Clocks

Einstein's theory of general relativity stipulates that clocks in a stronger gravitational field run more slowly than clocks in a weaker gravitational field. This time dilation is difficult to measure when two clocks are at locations separated by small differences in gravitational potential. We explore theoretical aspects of this gravitational time dilation and we attempt to verify them by collecting experimental data using Chip Scale Atomic Clocks (CSACs). We investigate the possibility of detecting gravitational time dilation during balloon satellite flights with CSACs that we will precisely synchronize and characterize for time error. Currently, we are working on identifying and reducing the effect of environmental factors that may influence the accuracy and precision of our CSACs in laboratory conditions and in-flight up to a maximum altitude of approximately 30,000 meters. We expect that this data will be useful for CSACs operating in high-altitude environments as well as future balloon satellite flights.