Weak gravitational field of the electromagnetic radiation in a ring laser

The gravitational field due to the circulating flow of electromagnetic radi ation of a unidirectional ring laser is found by solving the linearized Ein stein field equations at any interior point of the laser ring. The general relativistic spin equations are then used to study the behavior of a massiv e spinning neutral particle at the center of the ring laser. It is found th at the particle exhibits the phenomenon known as inertial frame-dragging. ( C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.