EPJ Quantum Technol. (2017) 4: 7
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-017-0061-0

Research

Quantum communications and quantum metrology in the spacetime of a rotating planet

¹ School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
² Racah Institute of Physics and Quantum Information Science Centre, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
³ York Centre for Quantum Technologies, Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
⁴ Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, Wien, 1090, Austria

^* e-mail: jan.kohlrus@nottingham.ac.uk

Received: 31 January 2017
Accepted: 11 April 2017
Published online: 20 April 2017

Abstract

We study how quantum systems that propagate in the spacetime of a rotating planet are affected by the curved background. Spacetime curvature affects wavepackets of photons propagating from Earth to a satellite, and the changes in the wavepacket encode the parameters of the spacetime. This allows us to evaluate quantitatively how quantum communications are affected by the curved spacetime background of the Earth and to achieve precise measurements of Earth’s Schwarzschild radius and equatorial angular velocity. We then provide a comparison with the state of the art in parameter estimation obtained through classical means. Satellite to satellite communications and future directions are also discussed.