LOCAL GRAVITOMAGNETISM

In a simple two-body system, we calculate the gravitomagnetic components of the metric in the local quasi-inertial frame of one of the bodies. The local geometry in this frame which is freely falling along the geodesic but is directionally fixed with respect to distant stars is primarily denned by the gravitomagnetic components of the local metric. This metric serves to track down the various contributions from the local and distant source and thus provides further insight to the nature of gravitomagnetism. As a result we show that in the quasi-inertial frame geodetic precession is a gravitomagnetic phenomenon. Furthermore we establish a connection between local gravitomagnetic effects and Einstein's principle of equivalence. © 1990 Plenum Publishing Corporation.