Anomalous Earth Flyby of Spacecraft: A Phenomenological Model Based on Resonant Coupling of Local Spacetime Field

Anomalous Earth Flyby of Spacecraft: A Phenomenological Model Based on Resonant Coupling of Local Spacetime Field | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Anomalous Earth Flyby of Spacecraft: A Phenomenological Model Based on Resonant Coupling of Local Spacetime Field Fuchuang Qin​ This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362421/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This paper proposes a phenomenological model based on the resonant coupling of a local spacetime field, aiming to provide a unified explanation for the observed, unexpected residual velocity deviations (i.e., the “flyby anomaly”) during Earth flybys of spacecraft. The model assumes the existence of a local spacetime field around the Earth, modulated by its rotation and mass distribution, and decaying with distance. When a spacecraft passes through this field at a specific frequency, resonant coupling may occur, generating a tiny instantaneous acceleration pulse. The model naturally derives the three key features of the anomaly: spatial locality, stochastic occurrence, and weak but reproducible magnitude. By fitting the data from three typical flyby events (Galileo-1990, NEAR, Rosetta), the model obtains a self-consistent set of parameters. It further provides a reasonable explanation for the non-observed anomaly in the Cassini flyby and makes testable predictions for future flyby events (e.g., Juno) and possible laboratory analog experiments. Physical sciences/Astronomy and planetary science Physical sciences/Physics Earth and environmental sciences/Space physics Flyby anomaly Resonant coupling Phenomenological model Local spacetime field Orbital dynamics Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9362421","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":626094517,"identity":"86229f91-5da9-48bb-b875-b197d4f4dbfa","order_by":0,"name":"Fuchuang Qin​","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAvUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACZgaGDwwVIIqBQYJYLYwzGM6QpIUBqIWxDcIiTgvfcd6DDT/n1bEbHGA+eJuHwS6PoBbJw3yJjb3b2JgNDrAlW/MwJBcT1GJwmMf8MeM2HqAWHjNpHoYDiQ1EaDFsZpwjAdTC/40ULQ0GIFvYiNMiCdTS2HMsgVnyMJux5RyDZMJa+M6fMWz4UVOXzHe8+eGNNxV2hLUwHIBQyZDINCCoHqHFjhi1o2AUjIJRMEIBAHUdNcw/oHEVAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Zhejiang University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Fuchuang","middleName":"","lastName":"Qin​","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-09 03:08:27","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362421/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362421/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107706059,"identity":"b6a53eda-dad6-4eea-acf2-f957d45f6b54","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-24 09:17:15","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":382361,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"AnomalousEarthFlybyofSpacecraftAPhenomenologicalModelBasedonResonantCouplingofLocalSpacetimeField.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9362421/v1_covered_74a2253b-489a-4001-8dad-3c69fde16616.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Anomalous Earth Flyby of Spacecraft: A Phenomenological Model Based on Resonant Coupling of Local Spacetime Field","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Flyby anomaly, Resonant coupling, Phenomenological model, Local spacetime field, Orbital dynamics","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362421/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362421/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis paper proposes a phenomenological model based on the resonant coupling of a local spacetime field, aiming to provide a unified explanation for the observed, unexpected residual velocity deviations (i.e., the \u0026ldquo;flyby anomaly\u0026rdquo;) during Earth flybys of spacecraft. The model assumes the existence of a local spacetime field around the Earth, modulated by its rotation and mass distribution, and decaying with distance. When a spacecraft passes through this field at a specific frequency, resonant coupling may occur, generating a tiny instantaneous acceleration pulse. The model naturally derives the three key features of the anomaly: spatial locality, stochastic occurrence, and weak but reproducible magnitude. By fitting the data from three typical flyby events (Galileo-1990, NEAR, Rosetta), the model obtains a self-consistent set of parameters. It further provides a reasonable explanation for the non-observed anomaly in the Cassini flyby and makes testable predictions for future flyby events (e.g., Juno) and possible laboratory analog experiments.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Anomalous Earth Flyby of Spacecraft: A Phenomenological Model Based on Resonant Coupling of Local Spacetime Field","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-22 06:46:50","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9362421/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"1002483a-146f-4724-8b7a-84ed79ffa143","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 22nd, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":66631253,"name":"Physical sciences/Astronomy and planetary science"},{"id":66631254,"name":"Physical sciences/Physics"},{"id":66631255,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Space physics"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-22T06:46:50+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-22 06:46:50","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9362421","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9362421","identity":"rs-9362421","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}