Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University have developed an algorithm for determining the consistent Newtonian gravitational constant, which is 2.5 times more accurate than the method of the international Committee on Data (CODATA). A more precise value of this constant is necessary for solving problems of space navigation, determining the mass of celestial bodies, and testing fundamental theories of gravity, including the general theory of relativity.
The gravitational constant (G) is a fundamental constant that determines the strength of gravitational interaction. It is used in theoretical physics, geophysics, and astrophysics. Its value is periodically refined: the CODATA Committee publishes internationally recognized values of fundamental physical constants approximately every two years, combining the results of different research groups using the weighted average method.
However, this approach is unstable to the appearance of "outliers" — when one or more groups obtain a value that differs significantly from others. Tomsk scientists proposed using a preferential median — a method that reduces the influence of measurement scatter and the potential underestimation of unknown uncertainty factors.
As noted by Professor Sergey Muravyov of the TPU School of Information Technologies and Robotics, the obtained results do not cancel traditional methods but serve as an alternative that can help solve problems in specific practical situations.
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